


Witness

by TwilightCakes



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M, Romance, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2012-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-14 09:25:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 46,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightCakes/pseuds/TwilightCakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Renesmee sees something she shouldn't, she becomes a witness in some serious trouble. Her only hope is to trust Jacob Black, a wild, reckless cop with something to prove. Together, their only option is to run. AH/AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Life was good, especially for Renesmee Cullen.

The bright lights of the trendy club's interior flashed and spun, making her dizzy as she ground her hips with the beat. The shots she had done at the bar were making her head spin delightfully, and she was hoping to keep her buzz for awhile. The guy she was dancing with pulled her ass closer, grinding himself against her in time with the bass.

"I don't think so," she giggled, touching his cheek. The song ended, and she quickly turned around.

"Hey, what the—"

"Thanks for the drink!" she called over her shoulder, smirking to herself. She was a tease, and she knew it. But being a tease got her into all of Seattle's trendiest clubs and bars, which she was nowhere near ready to give up. While the rest of her friends were graduating school and settling down to get married and have children with their college sweethearts, Renesmee was the exact opposite. She had graduated early, dumped her longtime boyfriend Mike, and was canceling all of her after-graduation plans to let her parents fund a trip to travel to Europe with her friend Jessica. She had spent all summer and most of the fall partying it up in downtown Seattle, and she had no intentions of stopping. Normal didn't suit her; it never had.

She leaned back against the bar, scanning the crowd for Jessica. She was sure her outgoing, obnoxious best friend was somewhere in the crowd, doing too much talking and too much flirting.

"Can I buy you a drink?" a voice asked.

Renesmee turned around, raising an eyebrow. She was greeted by a tall man with black dreadlocks. His chocolate skin was dark and creamy, and his face was perfectly chiseled. "Normally, the bartender doesn't have to 'buy' anything. He can just give it away," she replied, turning back around.

He cleared his throat. "Well, uh…in that case…a dirty martini for the lady," he said.

Renesmee smiled coyly, turning back around to lean on the bar. She gave him her best sex-kitten stare as he pushed the tall glass towards her.

"What makes you think I'd drink a dirty martini?" she flirted.

He smiled at her, exposing his white teeth. She leaned farther forward, letting him catch a peek down the plunging neckline of her black dress.

"You seem like a dirty girl," he flirted back, pushing the drink until it was directly in front of her.

Renesmee gave him her best smile, accepting the beverage. "It's one of my favorites, actually," she admitted, taking a sip.

He gave her another smile, and she was about to flirt back, when she heard the voice of her friend Jessica cut through the crowd.

"Ness! Ness!"

"Where have you been?" Renesmee asked as her friend hurried up to her, teetering on her high heels and yanking her too-short dress down.

"You would not believe the hottie I just met," she squealed, grasping her friend's arm.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. Every guy Jessica met was 'the hottest guy ever,' so she barely paid any attention.

"Do you want to go out into the parking lot with us?" she asked, giving Renesmee a pointed look.

Renesmee balked, looking at the sketchy looking blond guy who was approaching them.

"That's him," Jessica whispered. "He's gorgeous."

"James!" the bartender behind her shouted out.

The blond man Jessica was drooling over nodded at him, and Renesmee raised her eyebrows.

"Hmm…who knew the two hot guys were friends?" Jessica half whispered, half giggled. She reeked of tequila; she was probably already three sheets to the wind, but that was typical for her on a Saturday night. Drink first, think later.

"You in?" the blond guy asked. He looked at Renesmee, his eyes scanning her up and down. She shivered under his slightly creepy gaze, shuddering. He was good looking, no doubt; however, there was something about his slicked back blond hair and dark eyes that made the hairs on her arms stand up.

"Where are you going now?" Renesmee asked Jessica. Her friend was always doing this – disappearing with guys she just met while drunker than a skunk. It was always up to Renesmee to rescue her, and it was getting old.

"I'm just going to the parking lot. He said he has some blow to share with us. Come on, are you in or are you in?"

"I don't know…" Renesmee said slowly. She didn't do drugs; she never had. Alcohol was usually enough for her to have a good time, and she usually didn't even need a lot of that.

"Come on. Just a bump." Jessica winked at her.

Before Renesmee could protest, Jessica followed the hot blond and the sexy, chocolate-skinned bartender out a side door of the loud club, pulling Renesmee with her. Shivering, she rubbed her hands on her bare arms in the cool, dark alley where they now stood.

"I'm Laurent, by the way," he said to Renesmee.

She smiled, nervous butterflies settling in her stomach. Something didn't feel right…

"Well, we have the ladies here. Do you have the hookup or not, James?"

The slick looking blond man grinned, nodding. He walked up to a pair of men hanging out closer towards the street and began talking to them. They looked shady, so Renesmee looked away and pretended she couldn't see them.

"I thought he already had the stuff? This is such fucking bullshit; I'm already fucking freezing," Jessica whined.

Renesmee rolled her eyes at her friend, looking over at the men James was talking to. Suddenly, there was some shouting, and even a few pushes. Laurent's eyes went wide, and there was a flash of something in the small beam of light coming from the nearby streetlamp. More shouts echoed in the alley, and suddenly, someone screamed. James moved quickly, his arm connecting with the side of the second man. He doubled over, falling to the ground in a heap next to his friend.

"Holy shit," Renesmee gasped, seeing the flash of what James held in his hand. It was a knife.

"Oh my fucking god!" Jessica screeched, and her voice got James's attention.

"James! What are you thinking? They're dead!" Laurent exclaimed, kneeling beside them. He stared down at the lifeless, bleeding bodies, his dark eyes panicked. "You killed them! What are we going to do?"

"Nothing," James sneered, wiping the handle of the blade on his shirt. He tossed it up onto the roof of the next building, and Renesmee felt her heart begin to race. James didn't even look the least bit sad that he had just committed murder.

"We have to go. Now," she whispered, grabbing Jessica's arm. As they began to move, James looked up.

"Where do you think you're going?" he shouted. "Not so fast!"

"Jessica, run!" Renesmee gasped, pushing her friend towards the side door. They yanked it open, dodging through the crowd. People gave them dirty looks as they teetered through the loud club in their high heels, racing to get away. "Go, go, go!" Renesmee gasped, shoving at her friend. Her gut had been right; they needed to get away, and fast.

The swirling lights and loud music didn't help her already shocked senses; she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she wove her way through the endless crowd of people, fleeing for her life.

"Jess! Grab that cab!"

They darted into the waiting taxi as soon as they were outside. After screaming at him to step on the gas, it peeled away from the curb and down the busy city street. Neither one of the spoke until they got to Jessica's downtown apartment.

Renesmee walked slowly across the floor of the lobby, her heels echoing against the marble. "That really happened."

"No…no…" Jessica babbled. "It didn't happen…no…"

"Jess," Renesmee said firmly, grabbing her shoulders. "We have to go to the police."

Jessica's tear streaked face grew ashen.

"We can't…we can't go to the police. They'll think we were involved! Sometimes accomplices go to jail, Ness, and…and…"

"Why would they think we were involved?"

Jessica bit her lip, looking away.

"Tell me, Jess!" Renesmee exclaimed.

"I gave James my number. He has my phone number in his pocket. They'll know, Renesmee. They'll know!"

Renesmee gaped at her friend. "You gave that creep your number? Jessica, you idiot!"

"I'm sorry, I just…he was cute, and…and he seemed normal at first. I mean, what was I supposed to do? If we go to the police, they'll know we were involved, Ness!"

"Um, not give him your number!" Renesmee hissed, slamming the door behind them. She clicked both locks on, sliding the deadbolt into place. Somehow, the resounding click of the steel didn't do much to calm her churning stomach.

"What are we going to do?" Jessica whined, gripping the kitchen counter.

Renesmee kicked off her shoes, eyeing her best friend.

"We're not going to do anything. If you don't want to go to the police…I can't make you. But this is a mistake."

"We can't," Jessica whispered, walking over to her. "Ness, they'll know that we were there. How can we prove that we weren't involved?"

Renesmee paused, licking her lips as she leaned over the counter. The bottom of her stomach churned nervously, and she had a bad feeling in her gut.

"I don't know, Jessica, I-"

"I…I'm scared, Ness."

x-x-x-x-x-


	2. Chapter 2

"We're not going to do anything. If you don't want to go to the police…I can't make you. But this is a mistake."

"We can't," Jessica whispered, walking over to her. "Ness, they'll know that we were there. How can we prove that we weren't involved?"

Renesmee paused, licking her lips as she leaned over the counter. The bottom of her stomach churned nervously, and she had a bad feeling in her gut.

"I don't know, Jessica, I-"

"I…I'm scared, Ness."

Jessica's words echoed in Renesmee's mind. With a heavy sigh, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Tell me again what she said, Nessie."

Her eyes flicked up to meet her grandfather's. His concern was visible on the drawn lines of his face. He looked as tired as she felt. Then again, not sleeping for almost thirty six straight hours would do that to a person.

"She said she gave him her phone number. She was worried that it would lead him to her. And she was right."

"Now, Ness—"

"No, Charlie. She was right. He found her right away. And now…" She trailed off, wringing her hands together. The image of Jessica's bloodied, mangled body on her kitchen floor would be permanently frozen in her mind after that morning. She had called and called, and had finally gone over to see what was up. She was met with the gruesome scene of her dead best friend. When she returned home, a message had been sloppily scrawled on her living room mirror. She winced, just thinking about the message, written in what had turned out to be Jessica's blood.

You're next.

She shivered, glancing down at the coffee in her hand. The half a cup she had consumed earlier in the day churned in her stomach, making her even sicker than she already felt. The outside of the cup was warm, and it soothed her a little to know that she was sitting in the safest place she could be right now – the police station. Her grandfather, the chief, had been one of the first people to the scene. Before she knew it, her downtown apartment had been swarming with cops and covered in yellow caution tape, as she was sure Jessica's apartment was.

"We'll get this taken care of, Ness. They won't get away with anything," Charlie reassured her. He patted her hand, nodding slightly at her.

She forced a weak smile, avoiding his large brown eyes. They were so warm and loving and completely accepting of her and anything she did that she felt bad for her actions. If she hadn't been out partying that night like she shouldn't have been, she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Charlie's eyes were the same deep, rich color as her mother's; sometimes she felt like they were looking into her soul. Secretly, she feared he could read her every thought by just looking at her.

"Thanks Charlie."

"Is there anything else you can possibly think of that would help us out?"

She shook her head. No, she had been over the gruesome details over and over again in her mind. The only thing that became brutally clear was that there was a killer out there, and that she was next on his hit list.

I'm never going to feel safe again, she thought.

Renesmee shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair. The image of Jessica's mangled, bloodied body was burned into her mind.

Charlie looked up over his glasses. He sighed, dropping his Bic pen on his desk. "We're going to find this guy, Nessie. He's obviously a lunatic; guys like that leave traces – traces we're bound to catch, sooner or later."

She felt her stomach twist again "Sooner or later? What's that supposed to mean, Charlie? I'm just supposed to sit and wait for this psycho freak to come and hack me up into pieces like sushi?"

Charlie grimaced slightly, rubbing his worn, slightly wrinkled fingers over his mustache. His face twisted for a second as he thought; it was obvious to Renesmee that he was trying not to scare her.

"Where are your parents?"

She made a disgusted sound, leaning back in the plastic seat. "Vacationing. Where else? I can't even keep track anymore."

Charlie's somber face tightened at the mention of his daughter. He pursed his lips and thought. "You wanna stay with your grandpa?"

She shivered. Charlie's bachelor pad was not where she wanted to stay.

"No, I can't….put you out like that Charlie. I can't avoid my house forever."

"I just wish you felt safer."

"Me too."

"We'll catch this guy, Ness. In the meantime…just go home and try to get some rest."

Renesmee shifted in her chair. "Right," she replied sarcastically.

Her grandfather sighed deeply, obviously upset that his granddaughter was so upset.

"I'm going to make sure they…cleaned up when they were done with the investigation," Charlie muttered.

Renesmee looked away, her eyes tearing up. Her best friend was dead, and her blood had been smeared on her bathroom mirror. The gruesome sight of the words You're next had surely been cleaned off by now; her apartment was surely back to normal. But how could she go there, knowing that he had been there? The man that was on the hunt for her...

And rightfully so. She had seen him kill a man in cold blood, without even batting an eye. Had the unlucky guy in the alley been the first? Something told her no. She doubted anyone could react so passively to their first murder.

No. He had killed before.

And now, he wanted her to be next.

Movement on the other side of Charlie's office door caught her attention. She peered through the small opening, watching as a man in handcuffs was putting up a fight as an office dragged him in. He began yelling something incoherent; he was obviously drunk. Even in handcuffs, he was quite the menace; she laughed to herself a bit as he bit into the arm of an officer, who yelped in pain.

"Ow! Now what did you do that-"

The officer wrestled with the man again, trying to get a better grasp on his flailing body with no avail.

He swung again, his hands handcuffed together, at another victim. Her smile quickly faded, however, when a loud resounding crack echoed in the air. He fell backward, quickly slumping down against a chair.

A deep, smooth voice cockily replied, "That ought to quiet him down."

Renesmee peered out the crack in the door, trying to see who the voice belonged to. Then, she saw him.

This man would make marble statues hang their heads in shame and envy. She imagined that the color toffee would automatically use this man's skin as a definition. With his wide, muscled shoulders, golden skin, and otherwise 'hulking' physique, he was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen. Her chest grew tight as she stared at him, suddenly in utter awe of the way his tight, navy blue t-shirt was delightfully stretched across his pectoral muscles. The edges of the shirt looked strained as they fought against his round, sculpted arms, and Renesmee definitely took notice. Clearing her throat, she sat up in her chair slightly and leaned forward to get a better look. At the same time, the brown eyed stranger looked up, meeting her gaze.

Time stood still for a brief second as he watched her. She felt her mouth fall open slightly without her control, but she was utterly powerless in that tiny second in time.

Suddenly, the drunken man kicked at him, making the tight-muscled cop jump and curse under his breath.

Charlie slipped back in the door, an annoyed look gracing his features.

"Sorry about that. No good, drugged out…" he muttered under his breath, shuffling past her.

Charlie was probably a few short years away from retirement, Renesmee noted to herself with a pang of sadness. Charlie was growing old; it was evident in his tired eyes and steadily wrinkling skin. However, the police force was what gave him joy, and her family couldn't bear to encourage him to retire. After her mother married and moved away with her father, being a police officer was one of the only things Charlie Swan looked forward to in life, and Renesmee knew that.

"It's okay, Grandpa," she said, rubbing her temples. Her tired, stressed to the max state of mind was making her head throb, and she desperately wanted to go home and get a good night's sleep. But what will be waiting for me at home? she thought worriedly.

"You should go home and get some sleep," Charlie said, echoing her thoughts. "We'll be doing everything we can, Nessie. In the meantime…try to think of anything else."

Renesmee took his advice, heading home soon after. There was nothing she could do besides worry and think about Jessica, and neither of those would change with the scenery. Giving up, she crept back to her apartment building, all the while wishing her family lived closer. Her parents were on vacation on their private island off the coast of Rio, and her grandparents had recently moved to upstate New York to be closer to their other children, Alice and Rosalie. Renesmee was all alone.

The door to her apartment swung open, and to her chagrin, her fancy, upscale surroundings had never looked more bleak. The sleek, modern furniture and sparkling view of the city did nothing to make her feel better. Instead, it made the whole space seem daunting and empty.

Walking in, she flipped on as many lights as she could, to make her surroundings as comforting as possible. For some reason, she felt like bright lights would scare away an intruder. She kicked off her shoes, retreating to her bedroom to get into her pajamas. While she was in her closet, hunting for her favorite pair, her mind began to wander.

Was that a noise? Did I hear something scratch at the window? Where's my pepper spray? I should have bought that baseball bat! her mind screamed as she changed her clothes. She slipped into her favorite pair of black satin pajamas, peeking her head out of her closet. Nothing but silence greeted her.

Tiptoeing out of her room, she peered down the hallway towards the front door. Had she just heard a noise outside the door? A car honking on the city street below made her jump.

Stop, she chided herself. Now you're just being ridiculous.

Jutting her chin up, she sighed determinedly. She couldn't go through life jumping at every other sound; in a city the size of Seattle, she would never sleep!

Grabbing a pillow, she settled down on her couch, feeling utterly ridiculous. The face of the man back at the police station flashed in front of her eyes.

I had no idea gramps worked with such a fine piece of eye-candy…. she thought to herself. Pulling her afghan off the back of her couch, she snuggled into the soft cushions and turned her TV on as a background distraction. The noise onscreen soothed her a little, even if the volume was on low. She was almost asleep when something jarred her awake.

What was that? What woke me up? she thought to herself, looking around. Something had definitely woken her - but what?

Suddenly, she heard the distinct sound of footsteps. Not just any footsteps – heavy footsteps. Footsteps of a man. A big, scary man.

Her mind began to run away with itself, creating images of James and his menacing glare, stalking after her in a darkened alley. Was he waiting outside? Did he have the same knife he'd used in the alley that night?

Her stomach twisted as she clutched a pillow from her couch, her eyes wide.

Clump, clump, clump…

There it was again. Renesmee began to shake, standing up quickly. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she searched for something large and preferably heavy to defend herself with. She picked up a clay vase, hastily discarding the flowers that remained inside. Moving steadily towards the door, she positioned herself behind it so that she could get the jump on whoever it was. There was a silent pause, and she swore she could hear her own heart beating through her chest. It hammered inside of her, making her ears ring.

Her eyes burned into the door handle, waiting for it to move. Then…it did.

The metal twisted, moving slowly but surely as the latch clicked open. Mentally, she kicked herself for not locking it; she had been so out of it with exhaustion that she had completely and stupidly forgotten to lock it.

With another click, the door swung open, and a large figure stepped in. Renesmee closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and swung the vase with all her might.


	3. Chapter 3

Her eyes burned into the door handle, waiting for it to move. Then…it did.

The metal twisted, moving slowly but surely as the latch clicked open. Mentally, she kicked herself for not locking it; she had been so out of it with exhaustion that she had completely and stupidly forgotten to lock it.

With another click, the door swung open, and a large figure stepped in. Renesmee closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and swung the vase with all her might.

Chapter 3: Intruder

It came in contact with her victim with a resounding crack, the pieces shattering and falling to the floor.

"Ow!"

"Ahhh!" she screamed at the same time, jumping back. The noise startled her, even as prepared as she was for the strike.

"Holy fuck, what was that for?"

Opening her eyes, she gasped suddenly. There in her doorway was the large, amazingly attractive Native man from the police station. His eyes were half closed in a pained wince as he held his arm, his jaw open in shock.

"You…you hit me with a vase?" he gasped.

Renesmee whimpered, still frozen in shock and fear.

The man winced again, reaching into his shirt pocket. He opened his eyes enough to open his wallet, showing a shiny, bronze police badge, just like Charlie's.

"Ohmigod, I thought you were…I thought you were an intruder!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

He made an astounded face at her, clearly un-amused.

"An intruder?"

"Well…yeah."

He gave her a befuddled look as her eyes lit up with recognition. It was indeed the hotter than hot man that she had spied earlier in the day. The same one that had taken her breath away with his rugged good looks. She swallowed, wincing at her accident.

"You're from the police station!"

"Um, yeah?"

"Oh God…I hit you!"

"I came to protect you!"

"I didn't know that!"

"You hit me!"

"You broke into my apartment!"

"It was un-freaking-locked!" his loud voice boomed.

Renesmee jumped slightly, surprise registering on her features as the loud sound resonated.

"Is this how you repay someone who was sent to protect you? Sheesh," he muttered, rubbing his arm where the vase had shattered.

Indignance flared in her stubborn mind. How dare this handsome stranger come up into her apartment and snap at her?

"Um, you might have thought twice before sneaking in here like some weirdo! What were you doing, anyway? Did you ever hear of doorbells?"

He looked up from his arm, his dark eyes instantly lighting up. Renesmee felt her insides twist as he gazed angrily at her. "Did you ever think to lock your door? I could have been your hunter, ready to waltz in here and make you—"

He stopped, realizing that Renesmee's eyes had glazed over slightly with fear.

"Uh…"

"Make me what?" she prodded, her voice shaking.

He stopped, closing his mouth. "Nothing…never mind…er…but did you have to hit me with a vase?" he asked softly, rolling up his shirt sleeve.

Renesmee gulped slightly as she took in the view of the wide, tan band of muscles that covered his arm. There were several cuts from the vase that were already oozing blood.

"I'm sorry. I was just…freaked out. It's been a long day, as you've probably heard down at the station. Ah…sorry. Renesmee," she offered, holding out her hand.

"Jacob, but everyone calls me Jake."

"Jake," she repeated softly. "Well, under different circumstances, I'd say it's nice to meet you…but these aren't exactly nice."

"I've noticed," he mused, looking over all the shards of vase scattered around the floor.

"Do you want a band aid?" she asked softly.

He looked up in surprise, his own expression softening as the shock of what had just happened faded. The adrenaline was pumping through the entry way where they stood, making them both a little on edge. As she calmed down further and led him to the kitchen, Renesmee became aware once again of how utterly good looking and statuesque this man was. She watched with eager eyes as he rinsed off his arm in her sink, accepting a towel to dry it off. When she handed it to him, their fingers brushed. Her hear began to pound in response, but this time, in a good way.

"Nah…it should stop bleeding in a few minutes. I heal quick," he quipped, flashing her a bright smile.

She gripped the counter beside her, giving him a lopsided little smile in return. He wasn't all that bad when he wasn't being an ass, she thought.

"Yeah, I get a lot of bumps and bruises. This is nothing. But you really should lock your door," he added quickly. His voice had softened compared to earlier; he wasn't snapping at her for hitting him with a vase.

"Yeah... Why are you here?" she asked, turning her head to the side to look up at him.

He crossed his arms over his wide chest, puffing it out slightly with a visible pride and self satisfaction.

"To protect you, of course."

She raised an eyebrow at his smug answer. "Really?" she asked flatly, mimicking his stance.

He stared at her, his dark eyebrows knit together.

"Well, if you continue going around leaving doors unlocked, it's going to be a full time job. Not that it already isn't."

"What are you talking about? Did Charlie put you up to this?"

"He might have," he answered. "Would that be so bad? The poor guy is worried about you."

She shrugged, brushing past him to walk out of the kitchen. "I don't need hired help, if that's what you are," she replied, pulling her broom and dustpan out of the hallway closet. She began to sweep up her broken vase, eying him in the process.

"I'm not hired help. It's my job to protect people that need it…and trust me…you need it," he replied softly.

Renesmee avoided meeting his dark eyes as he watched her sweep up the broken pieces.

She swept up the rest of the pieces in silence, a shiver rushing down her spine. She knew she needed help; she had only been alone for a few hours, and already, she felt like her mind was abandoning all logic. What would an entire night do to her? She already felt like a nervous wreck.

"Well…either way, it's Charlie's orders to protect you at all costs. He doesn't trust your little…err, artist," Jacob muttered, looking at the mirror in the living room, where her bloody message had been scrawled.

Every time Renesmee looked at the large mirror above her fireplace, she saw the gruesome image of 'you're next' scrawled on it in Jessica's blood. The picture of her warning message from James had practically been burned into her mind.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" she asked, looking up from the mess she was cleaning.

He nodded, jamming his hands in his pockets. "I came by to scope out the crime scene, yeah. And well…Charlie was pretty shaken, I won't lie."

Renesmee looked back down, feeling embarrassed and ashamed to have drug her poor, kind-hearted grandfather into her messy life. Charlie had always been around, for as long as she could remember. His kind brown eyes and gentle smile had always taken her wild ways in stride, and she loved him dearly for that. Now, to have him worrying about her when he didn't need to, made her sick to think about.

"Yeah, well…Charlie's near retirement; he just doesn't need anything else to worry about. I wish he would just…give it up already. Our whole family wants him to," she said nonchalantly, sweeping up the last of the broken shards into the pan.

It was true. Five years ago, Charlie had been involved in a bank robbery stand off, and in the process, had gotten shot in the leg. After the accident, he admitted he had taken the bullet for a rookie on the force who was barely out of training. The bullet had barely scraped his thigh, but Charlie wasn't one to complain. It had given her entire family quite the scare – mainly her mother. Bella had taken two weeks off of work to stay at home with him and baby him back to perfect health. She had begged her father to retire, but he had laughed it off as part of the job.

Standing up, Renesmee walked past Jacob, to casually dump the swept up pieces into the trash.

"Chief Swan still has a lot of good years in him. He practically taught me everything I know," Jacob argued back, furrowing his dark eyebrows together. "When he says 'jump', I say 'how high?' because Charlie knows what he's doing. Hell, after nearly forty years in the game, he knows just about all there is to know. I don't take his orders lightly. If he says that I need to watch over you until this whole thing blows over, then…then I will."

Renesmee paused, closing the lid to the trash can. "Why do I feel like I'm missing part of the story? I mean…he's the old, experienced guy on the force, sure, but…why do you care what happens to me?"

She was being stubborn, and she knew it. Part of her really wanted the handsome cop standing in her living room to be at her every beck and call; however, her prideful side scorned the idea.

"I just…" Jacob frowned again, looking away. "I owe him, okay? But it's a debt I would happily repay."

"Meaning?"

"Never mind," he snapped. "From now on, things are gonna change. You won't go anywhere alone – and I do mean anywhere. We're also…" He walked over to the counter where her cell phone was. He flipped it off, tossing it back down. "…going to have to change the way you live. You have to be harder to find, harder to track."

Renesmee fumed slightly, running over to her phone. "What are you doing? You can't just go around switching off people's phones!"

"What does it matter?" he asked sourly. A cocky smirk crossed his features. "Worried your boyfriend won't be able to call or something?"

Renesmee scoffed, grabbing her phone. "No, and for your information…I don't have a boyfriend. I broke up with him."

Jacob's eyebrows raised momentarily, but he shook his head and moved on. "Well, either way, you need to be more careful."

"Careful?" she snapped. "I found my dead friend three days ago. Her blood was on my living room mirror when I came home last night. What do you think I've been doing since then?"

"I'm just warning you, that's all."

"Tell me something I don't know," she muttered, pushing past him.

His skin brushed hers, making the hairs on her arms stand up. She looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed her reaction. How someone could both infuriate and captivate her at the same time was inexplicably intriguing.

"Look, there's a killer out there, and Renesmee Cullen is at the top of his hit list. Do you want me to stay or go? It's up to you."

Renesmee crossed her arms. "Well, when you put it so lightly…" she answered sarcastically.

He sighed, grunting in frustration. "Are you always this impossible?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "Are you always this big of an ass? We just met, and already, you're giving me more orders than an indentured servant!"

She watched as his dark eyes lit up like black fire. God, he looks hot when he's angry, her mind thought without her control. Leaning back, she gripped the counter behind her and watched him stride around the living room. The way his sculpted body moved across the floor was almost like a animal; it was graceful, self assured, and with purpose. Her heart beat picked up slightly, the rhythm of it pounding in her ears.

"I don't have to keep you safe, you know. I could leave right now and not give another thought to what happens to you." Jacob turned around in front of the door, giving her a pointed stare.

Renesmee frowned again. "Fine," she challenged. "Then go."

He stared at her for a second, his eyebrows raised. Then, with a quick shake of his head, he turned the handle on her apartment door. It creaked open, and he began to step out.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he added quietly, crossing the threshold. The door clicked shut, echoing slightly in her large apartment. It suddenly felt colder…emptier, without him there.

The solitude surrounded her, suddenly making her quite aware that she was indeed alone. Her parents were on another continent, her closest relatives besides Charlie were a six hour flight away. She was truly and utterly alone.

The faucet dripped in the sink. Somewhere outside, a car alarm went off. A plane flew overhead, and someone was yelling in the street. Her ice maker made a loud noise, signaling fresh ice, and she practically jumped out of her skin.

No, this wouldn't do.

Swallowing her fear and her pride, she raced to the door. Her bare feet move quickly against the tiles, propelling her forward, as she flung the door open and ran out into the hallway.

She could only hope she wouldn't be too late.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Don't say I didn't warn you," he added quietly, crossing the threshold. The door clicked shut, echoing slightly in her large apartment. It suddenly felt colder…emptier, without him there.
> 
> The solitude surrounded her, suddenly making her quite aware that she was indeed alone. Her parents were on another continent, her closest relatives besides Charlie were a six hour flight away. She was truly and utterly alone.
> 
> The faucet dripped in the sink. Somewhere outside, a car alarm went off. A plane flew overhead, and someone was yelling in the street. Her ice maker made a loud noise, signaling fresh ice, and she practically jumped out of her skin.
> 
> No, this wouldn't do.
> 
> Swallowing her fear and her pride, she raced to the door. Her bare feet move quickly against the tiles, propelling her forward, as she flung the door open and ran out into the hallway.
> 
> She could only hope she wouldn't be too late.

Renesmee threw open the door, her hear pounding in her chest. If Jacob left, she knew that she would be a goner. There was no way she could even handle being alone for fifteen seconds, much less all night. Her nerves were already making her want to jump out of her skin! She knew she had to get to him and fast. Rounding the corner, she winced a split second before colliding with Jacob.

"Hey!"

"Ow!"

She ran into him with a thud. He leaned against the wall for support, as she fell helplessly to the ground in a clumsy heap, after running straight into him.

"Ow…I…I thought you left?" she asked, rubbing her throbbing funny bone.

"I did!" he snapped, his dark eyes glinting. She opened her mouth, but only a small squeak of surprise came out.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing…" she grumbled. Jacob gave her a look that clearly said he didn't buy her answer.

He winced slightly, rising up from his crouch against the wall. "Why do you always have to hurt me somehow?"

She shrugged from her place on the floor, looking around the hallway. She was glad they were still alone.

"So what were you coming out to say?" he prodded, crossing his arms.

Renesmee looked away, suddenly embarrassed for feeling like such a chicken. "I…" she stuttered, avoiding his gaze. He reached a hand down, offering her some assistance. Surprise fluttered through her as she reached up, grasping his hand, and allowed him to pull her up.

"What?" he prodded, still holding onto her hand.

Renesmee glanced down, feeling sparks of pleasant electricity sizzling through her hand where their fingers were joined.

"I was just coming out to…say that…I'm sorry, and…" she practically choked. Something about the way his dark gaze held hers gave her goose bumps.

His face showed his blatant surprise at her words. "And what?" he asked in disbelief.

"I…I don't really…want to be alone," she admitted bashfully, dropping his hand.

Jacob looked down where their fingers had just been joined, surprise registering on his face.

"You would want me to stay?"

She let out the breath she had been holding and gave him an awkward shrug.

"Well, after what happened…"

"I don't have to…."

"Do you need me to spell it out for you? I'm scared shitless, okay? There! I said it! I'm scared. I'm scared of what would happen if I spent the night alone."

He gave her another amused look.

"Well…" he stammered, his expression softening, "I guess I could stay…for a while. Just to…make sure you're all right," he said softly.

She felt herself smile slightly, unsure of how she should act. When he was being stubborn and a know-it-all, he was an ass. However, when he was nice, he was quite sweet…and very, very hot.

"Come in?" she asked timidly, putting her hand on the door.

He nodded, following her inside.

"I…wasn't expecting company," she admitted sheepishly, suddenly shy. "Do you want something to drink?"

He looked around the space, scoping it out and only half listening to her question.

"Ah…no, I'm fine," he muttered, walking over to the windows. Renesmee noticed how out of place he seemed to look in her mostly white and beige apartment. With a click, he tested the locks on each one in the living room.

Renesmee watched him carefully, ducking into the kitchen to pick up a glass. She poured herself a glass of wine, in hopes that it would soothe her frazzled nerves. In all the commotion, she had barely had a chance to remember that her best friend was gone. A feeling of sadness settled over her momentarily as she stared down into the red wine.

The color looked hauntingly familiar.

Blood, she thought. Would she ever be able to think of anything else again? Taking a sip, she took a deep breath and shook her head at how silly she was being.

Jacob looked up from his personal investigation of prodding around her living room, raising an eyebrow at her. "Distraction?"

She shrugged, settling the bottle down on the counter. "Maybe. My best friend turned up dead yesterday. Can't I have a glass in her honor?"

"Never said you couldn't."

"Do you want some?"

"I'm not a wine type of guy," he admitted slowly, looking over at her.

Renesmee sighed, picking up her wine glass to take a long chug. "Well, I'm not sorry."

"Didn't say you had to be. You're a big girl…do what you want."

She rolled her eyes, walking around the counter back into the living room. "You really came here because Charlie asked you to?"

He nodded. "I do anything Charlie asks me to."

Renesmee snorted. "Suck up much?"

He glared at her. "To you, he might be a grandfather. To me…he might as well be an encyclopedia of how to be a good cop. He's…"

"He's Charlie," she said flatly.

He scoffed at her, following her over to the couch. "He's an amazing cop. He's fair, he's decent, and he's braver than everyone down there at the station put together. His number one goal in life is to make this city safe for everyone."

Renesmee watched as he walked around the sofa, giving her apartment a disgusted look. His eyes returned to her, his expression softening. She felt her breath catch in her throat a little as she watched him watch her with his big, dark, expressive eyes. They seemed to have no problem reflecting whatever type of emotion he felt.

"I'll um…be right back," she mumbled, suddenly realizing she was in pajamas, with her hair in a messy ponytail, in front of a very hot, very muscular man that she barely knew. He didn't seem to notice her exit from the room as he continued to observe her surroundings.

Racing back to her bedroom, she quickly shut the door, before darting to her closet. She pulled a soft, long, white cashmere sweater out, pairing it with a lacy black camisole top to peek out underneath. She kept the satin pajama pants, stepping out of her ridiculous bunny slippers. Yanking her long, bronze curls out of the messy ponytail, she frantically tousled and finger combed them into somewhat of an organized mess. Dabbing a little lip gloss on her mouth, she assessed herself in the mirror.

You're being stupid. He's hot, but he's an ass. And a cop. A cop that works with Charlie.

Her mind continued to argue with itself, making her stomach jump and twist with nervous confliction. While part of her was happy she didn't have to be alone in her apartment with a killer on the loose, the other part of her didn't quite know how to take Jacob. Most guys fell at her feet to charm and please her; if they didn't know she was a Cullen, one of the most prestigiously rich and social families in the city of Seattle, they knew she was beautiful. Renesmee had never once in her life had trouble attracting guys. But somehow…she sensed that Jacob would make her work for it. That aspect of him both intrigued and insulted her. She primped for a few more seconds in front of the mirror, before walking back out to see what her unexpected guest was up to.

"So…you're close with Charlie, huh?" she asked, entering the living room again.

Jacob was busy examining the pictures on her wall near the fireplace.

"Yeah…" Jacob trailed off, studying a picture of her with Charlie when she was a child. She had been eight when the picture was taken, and she had been on a weekend camping and fishing trip with her grandfather.

"You like to fish?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Renesmee snorted as she walked over to him. "Not anymore," she laughed. "Gross."

"You sure don't seem like you are, uh…related to Charlie."

"Are you always this rude?" she asked, folding her arms again. He was hot, but he had a mouth on him, even she had to admit.

He turned, looking at her with an amused smirk. "Down girl. I was just saying…pretty posh," he said, gesturing to her surroundings. "Charlie doesn't come from a lot of money, or at least, he doesn't act like it."

"Well, I don't…I mean…" she stuttered.

He gave her another knowing nod as he flopped down on her couch, putting his heavily booted feet onto the table with a loud clunk. Renesmee winced, hoping his ugly boot didn't damage the expensive coffee table her Aunt Rosalie had sent her from Europe.

"Ah," Jacob replied, leaning back. "Say no more. Daddy."

"What makes you so sure?" she asked with a frown.

He chuckled knowingly, rolling his eyes. "Please. Charlie said you work in advertising, and you've only been out of school for a year. Now, no offense, Princess, but how much money could you possibly make? Not enough to afford these swell digs, I'm sure."

She frowned, walking over to sit on the chair opposite the couch. "I might come from some money. But what does that matter?"

Jacob watched her, his tan, smooth face void of all emotion. "You could quit work tomorrow and never have to work a day of your life, wouldn't you, Princess?"

"Quit calling me that," she snapped. "What does it matter? I work because I like it. I enjoy having a purpose in life, thank you very much."

"Right," he scoffed. "Anyway…do you care if I crash right here? This couch is pretty comfy." He sat up to take off his jacket.

"You're staying?" she asked, her eyes wide.

He nodded. "Don't you want me to? I figure if your friend comes back, it will probably be tonight. He won't want you to get far, I'm guessing. Or he might not want to come back to the scene of the crime at all. I have no idea – that's the unpredictable part of guys like tha—" He stopped mid-sentence, noticing Renesmee's wide, scared eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to scare you."

She shifted in her seat, avoiding his dark gaze. Standing up, she made her way to the linen closet to gather a few things for him to use to sleep on her couch.

"Where should I put my gun? This all right?" he asked, taking his gun belt off and dropping it on the coffee table.

"Why do you have a gun? Do you need it in my house?" she asked nervously. She had never really cared for weapons of any sort.

He gave her a perplexed stare. "Uuhh…don't you expect a cop to maybe…carry around a gun? What did you think I would have, a light saber? No, Princess, I carry a gun like most cops do. And wouldn't you want him to use it if he had to, oh…I don't know, kill a crazy psycho who is out to get you?"

Renesmee's mouth snapped shut. "Well…when you put it like that," she muttered. "Do you want a blanket?"

"Nah. I'm good," he said, shaking off her offer for a pillow and a blanket. Kicking off his boots, he lay down on the couch. "I should be good here. Try to get some sleep, Princess," he said with a wink.

Renesmee began to protest, but said nothing as he settled down on her couch. His jeans and t-shirt didn't appear to be all that comfortable, but he didn't complain.

Renesmee watched as he lay back on the couch, stretching out in an effort to get comfortable. As he moved, the bottom of his t-shirt rode up just enough to reveal a peek of his tan stomach and the light trail of hair that faded into his dark jeans. Blushing, she turned away and paused in the doorway.

"My room is right here…just…make yourself at home, um…" she rambled.

"I'll be fine, Princess," he muttered nonchalantly from the couch.

She bit back a laugh. "My name is Renesmee," she reminded him.

"Either way, that's a mouthful. Couldn't your parents decide on a name?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head and shuffled down the hallway to her bedroom. "Just go to sleep."

She was surprised how easily she was able to find sleep that night. For the first time in hours, she wasn't thinking of bloody, mangled bodies and psycho killers lurking outside of her window, waiting to seek revenge. Instead, her mind drifted to something completely different – the tan skinned, lusciously muscled man sleeping on her couch. As much as she tried to not think about how attractive he was, she knew that her efforts were pretty much hopeless.

She drifted to sleep and was not awoken until hours later.

Creak. Creak…creak.

Her eyes flew open. She had almost forgotten. In the midst of avoiding her girlish crush on Charlie's coworker, she had almost let James slip completely from her mind.

And yet, as the distinct sound of someone walking on the fire escape outside her window broke through her sleepy mind, the image of James' dark, haunting eyes once again became clear.

The noise stopped. Whoever it was paused. There was the sound of metal against metal behind her gauzy curtains, and Renesmee's heart began to pound.

He's trying to get in! her mind screamed. Jumping up quietly, she tried to control her breathing, as her sweaty palms searched for something hard to strike him with.

Yeah, right, she thought. Her breaths were heavy and nervous as she crept through her dark bedroom. The noise continued; it was quiet, but apparent that he was trying to get in.

Suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth. She jumped, her body tensing completely as she realized someone was behind her, their arm clamping around her waist. His hot skin burned into her back as she came in contact with his body. His grip on her was tight, but not menacing. Relaxing slightly, she turned, his hand still over her mouth.

Her eyes widened when she realized it was Jacob.

"Shhh…" he whispered, his dark eyes bright.

She could barely see anything in the dim light of her dark bedroom, but she could tell that he wasn't messing around. Whoever was outside on her fire escape was still trying to get in.

"Go lock yourself in the guest room. If I yell run, go down the other side of the fire escape," he whispered almost silently. His warm breath blew against her ear, making her shiver slightly as the adrenaline coursed through her body.

She nodded as he slowly released her from his grip. He stalked forward carefully, motioning for her to go. Renesemee hesitated, gasping to herself when she saw his gun tucked carefully in his jeans. He was wearing nothing but his untied boots and the same faded, slightly sagging denim that he had been earlier; however, now she could see that he was shirtless.

I should be running in for my life and all I can think about is how he looks shirtless! she chided herself. Her heart continued to pound as she hurried back to the guest bedroom, locking herself in. There was silence for a few minutes – or was it hours? Time stood still as she waited for something – anything – to happen. With shaking hands, she turned the lock on the door.

How had her life gotten to be such a mess? Two months ago, she was graduating from college, partying with her friends, and saying goodbye to her loving, but boring, boyfriend Mike. As much as she loved him, he was more of a friend at that point. He was perfect to her – always opening doors, agreeing with her, and doing anything he could to keep her happy. However, that wasn't what she was looking for in a partner. Mike never fought her on anything, and she needed more excitement than that. The sex was predicable and ho-hum after just two years of dating, and the more she had thought about marrying him, the more suffocated she'd felt. She had been enjoying her time in the city as a carefree socialite, never attending the same club more than twice and drinking girly cocktails to her heart's content, as she lived up the single life.

The sound of something large and glass breaking cut through her thoughts.

There was another series of loud thumps and bangs, and she covered her mouth with her hand in a mixture of fear and shock. There were a few more sounds, and suddenly, everything went quiet. Renesmee could still feel her heart pounding in her chest as she listened to the silence.

I've never heard silence this loud, she thought with a few shaky breaths. Then, when she was about to open the door and investigate, she heard it.

A few loud, heavy footsteps and a soft rap on the door. "Renesmee?"

She exhaled loudly, still shaking with fear as it left her body.

"Jacob!" she gasped, lunging at him. Surprise crossed his features as she flung herself against his chest, hugging him tightly.

"Uh, you're welcome?" he laughed. He took a few deep breaths, tentatively hugging her in return.

"What happened?"

He glanced backwards, following her gaze to the broken window and torn up living room behind him.

"We had a…slight scuffle," he admitted, running his hand through his short, black hair. She noticed another cut on his arm and one on his chest, but otherwise, he looked all right.

"J-James?" she stuttered with wide eyes.

Jacob glanced back at the disheveled living room again and nodded.

"'Fraid so. Listen…he's gone. He knows I'm here, and he won't try anything again."

"I'm….I'm so glad you were here," she choked out. He gave her a look of surprise, but it quickly turned smug.

"Yeah, well….just doing my job. No need to get all emotional."

She frowned, making a slight face. "I wasn't getting emotional. Ass."

He grinned at that. "Well, it's alright, you can if you like…."

"Jacob…"

"Call me Jake when you whine at me, Princess."

"Shut up!"

He grinned at her, wiping one of his dripping cuts. She glanced down at his bare chest in shock, surveying the damage.

"He had a knife?"

Jacob shrugged nonchalantly, avoiding her gaze. "Yeah…or something. Got me a couple times…but I'll live."

She swallowed, looking away. If Jacob wouldn't have been there tonight, she would be sushi right now.

"I'm glad you're…okay," she said, suddenly shy.

He nodded, giving her a light shrug. "Sure, sure. So uh…he's pretty determined. I think you need to get out of town. Soon."


	5. Chapter 5

Jacob knew the second he saw Renesmee Cullen that she was not for him.

Something - no, everything about that girl screamed 'unattainable' to him.

Maybe that was why he wanted her even more.

He had always wanted things he couldn't have.

From the moment he caught her gaze in the police station earlier that day though….he couldn't get enough.

Renesmee wasn't like any of the other girls he was used to.

She was different.

He couldn't place what made her so irresistible to him. Was it her pale, flawless skin? Her long, coppery waves that hung over one of her eyes? Or was it the way her warm brown eyes bore right through him?

He hadn't been looking to meet anyone like her when he came to work that morning. It had been a long night, and he was looking forward to going home, having a few beers, and crashing on his couch to a little ESPN. It had been a taxing morning; several men had drunkenly attempted to knock over an ATM and had been none too pleased to be caught. His jaw was still aching from the surprise left hook he had taken from one of the guys before he had gotten him in handcuffs.

That was all alright though. All in a day's work for him.

To Jacob, there was nothing as satisfying as coming home after a long day of work while his law-breakers sat on the cold, hard floor of a holding cell. Hearing the locks click into place was his favorite part.

It had started out like any other day, really. A few arrests, a meeting about a future undercover sting, and a bit of paperwork. Then, things had taken a turn for the worse when he least expected it.

He would never be able to shake the mental picture of the crime scene his partner and Chief, Charlie, had taken him to that morning. The image of the young girl, bloodied and mangled on her own kitchen floor was not one he would soon forget. Charlie had been completely astounded to find that it was the best friend of his granddaughter, Renesmee.

That was where Jacob's trouble had begun.

Needless to say, the safety of Charlie's granddaughter had become their number one priority ever since.

Of course Jacob had seen random pictures over the years of Renesmee. Charlie's desk was scattered with dog-eared photos of the girl as a child and a knobby kneed teen. However, he hadn't been ready to see the beautiful girl that stepped into the precinct and asked for Charlie.

He had wanted to see more of her that day, but sadly the brief glance they shared as he wrestled with a booze-soaked man in handcuffs was all they had gotten. He had soon put two and two together and figured out who she was, thus igniting a personal interest in this particular case.

(Earlier that day)

"Hey Chief," he replied, sitting down in the worn chair off to the side of Charlie's desk.

"Jake," Charlie grunted.

"Everything okay? I uh….saw that your granddaughter was here," he asked nonchalantly. He hoped the old cop couldn't sense the excitement in his voice.

Charlie glanced up at him from his computer screen, his face more scrunched up than usual. Jacob straightened his face, matching Charlie's somber expression.

"Something wrong?"

He paused again, waiting. "Ness…..got into a bit of trouble, that's all."

Jacob's heart wrenched slightly. He hoped it wasn't anything serious. He would hate to see a girl as gorgeous as his granddaughter having problems with something illegal. It would make the fact that he was already attracted to her even more taboo.

She's not for you, his mind chanted. Shaking his head to clear the errant thought, he tried to focus on what Charlie was explaining to him. He shared the terrible story of what had happened to her friend Jessica, and that he had to go down to check out the crime scene soon.

"Someone…someone's out to get her?" he asked, leaning forward. He placed his elbows on his knees, staring down at the crime scene photos the Chief had placed in front of him. The gory scene made his stomach turn because he knew it was connected to her. Normally, things like blood and dead bodies were just another aspect of the job that he didn't think twice about.

These photos made his heart practically beat out of his chest.

Someone was clearly after Renesmee.

"Can you help me with this?" Charlie asked him. His voice was rough with emotion and worry, and Jacob knew that the Chief was desperate.

"Of course. I'll go over there myself - right now if you want," Jacob answered quickly.

Charlie gave him a strange look, but his worry was clearly getting the better of his normal demeanor.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Charlie leaned back in his squeaky desk chair, ignoring his ringing telephone. His dark eyes were distant and worried.

"Good, then. I'd feel better if someone was there with her….in case."

"Sure Chief. I'll be there….just in case."

Jacob stood up quickly, pushing his chair back. "I'll take care of her Charlie, I promise. I owe you, and I'll never forget that."

Charlie nodded him off, shrugging. "You don't owe me anything kid."

"Sure, sure," Jacob laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "But I'd do anything to keep her safe. Can't have the granddaughter of Chief Charlie Swan in trouble now, can we?"

Charlie nodded, looking up at him gratefully. "Just be careful. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he tried to joke. Jacob watched him carefully, recognizing the worry that was so clearly laced on his features.

"Sure thing Chief."

So now here he was. Renesmee had allowed him to crash on her couch, and that was just fine with him. He had a perfect view of the front door should anyone barge in, and he had a gun on the coffee table and a knife in his boot.

He was ready.

Jacob glanced around at her lush surroundings as the darkness settled over him. He could hear Renesmee in her bedroom, rummaging around. She seemed jumpy and restless - not that he could blame her. He couldn't imagine what it was like to find your best friend murdered and then receive a death threat on top of that.

Nothing will happen to her as long as I'm around, he thought determinedly.

In all honesty, he was looking forward to a good hunt. The animalistic side of him loved a good case, preferably one where he got to get in a good old fashioned fist-fight (those were usually frowned upon down at the precinct) and ended with his perpetrator in handcuffs.

He smirked to himself. He had always been a bit of a bad boy - ever since he was a kid he had nothing but energy, and that paired with his intelligence had quickly gotten him into trouble as a teen. It was all of his pent-up energy that he didn't know how to handle - he wasn't a bad kid. He got arrested several times as a minor for stupid things - breaking curfew, fighting, and trespassing. Nothing too serious. The fourth time he ended up in the backseat of a police car, the small town cop who usually caught him had given him a bewildered glance in the rearview mirror.

"Why don't you use some of that whip smart attitude and determination to be on the other side of those bars kid?"

It had made perfect sense to him. He never did anything bad or cruel when he broke the law - he was just a bored, small town kid. It did make perfect sense for him to try to opposite side of the law, so he did. As it turned out, he was a good cop. He enjoyed doing good deeds and stopping criminals even if his tactics were sometimes frowned upon by his superiors. He had a hot temper and a quick hand which usually got him in trouble. However, his track record of catching criminals was too high to be ignored.

Yes, Jacob Black was definitely a bad boy.

He sighed, straining his ears to listen to what Renesmee was doing. After a few moments, he got up and silently made his way towards her bedroom.

He just wanted to check on her.

The white door was cracked ever so slightly, and he relaxed a little when he heard her steady breathing from inside. Instantly he felt better. She needed sleep - he could tell. There had been dark circles under her gorgeous brown eyes and her pale face looked tired and stressed.

Give the girl a good night's sleep and she'd be a complete knock-out, he thought as he crept back to the couch.

Unsuccessfully he tried to push the feelings he had for her down. It wasn't his place to get involved with someone like her. Especially someone like her.

Renesmee Cullen was not for him.

Girls like her usually rolled their eyes and turned the other way if a guy like him ever hit on her in a bar.

No, she was certainly not his type and he was sure he wasn't hers.

Bet Daddy would have a real fit if she brought a guy like me home, he thought with a smirk. Resting his head behind his arms, he tried to catch a few minutes of sleep if his body would allow it. He had been riled up all day, and being in Renesmee's apartment guarding her wasn't doing much to relax him.

He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard it.

Creak. Creak. Creak. Clank!

His eyes flew open. They adjusted quickly to the darkness around him, helping him find his gun. Sitting up, he carefully tucked it into the waist of his jeans.

Clank!

There it was again.

It was quiet, but it was there. He knew he wasn't imagining this.

He stood, his senses immediately on high alert. The noise was coming from the balcony that ran all the entire length of the front of the apartment.

All was quiet again. Jacob's ears strained, the hum of silence nearly driving him mad.

Focus, Black, he chided himself. He walked quietly to the window, his eyes trying to see through the gauzy curtains. The balcony was empty. Quickly, he moved down the hallway towards the bedroom and glanced inside. Renesmee was still in her bed, lying perfectly still.

Good, he thought. He snuck to the guest room at the back of the apartment, peering out the window. Something moved.

I might only get once chance to nail this guy….don't fuck this up, he coached himself.

His heart began to pound as he reached for his gun. There it was again. The window didn't allow him to get a good view, but there was definitely something out there on the fire escape.

He was trying to get in.

Suddenly, he heard Renesmee stirring in her room. All thoughts of James were sucked from his mind as his number one priority was immediately shifted to the bronze haired beauty that was now in danger.

Moving quickly, he rushed down the hall to her bedroom. She was peeking out, but her gaze was on the living room. Her breaths were low and quick, and he could practically sense her panic. He watched her exit her bedroom, heading towards the living room where he had been.

Silently, he moved behind her and put his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. Instinctively, his arm went around her waist and held her against his chest. Her pale skin sizzled pleasantly against his, and he fought to remain focused.

Fuck she feels good, he thought.

Renesmee jumped, her body trembling in his arms. She didn't realize it was him yet, he thought. Looking over her shoulder, he could make out her relieved sigh when she realized it was him. Slowly, he lowered his hand from her mouth and put his finger over his lips.

"Shhhh," he urged. She nodded, pressing her pink lips together into a thin line. She understood.

He knew he had to make sure she was safe. There was a noise on the balcony now, and he knew that whoever it was had shifted their attention to the door off the living room.

"Go lock yourself in the guest room. If I yell run, go down the other side of the fire escape," he whispered. She nodded, and he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his arm. He released her slowly, watching as she moved into the room in the back of the apartment. Their eyes met as she slowly closed the door. He didn't move forward until he heard the click of the lock being secured.

"It's you and me now," he whispered, turning to the living room.

There was another noise from the balcony as he crept closer. The clouds shifted over the moon, allowing a stream of light to briefly illuminate the outline of the figure.

James.

He felt his adrenaline start to rush again. He tightened his grip on his gun, clenching his jaw.

He was going to end this - tonight.

Pressing himself against the wall, he watched as the figure picked the lock on the sliding glass door from the balcony. His stomach tightened as he fought to remain still. The only way he was going to get the better of James was to catch him completely off guard.

The door slid open.

James stepped inside, looking around. Jacob took his chance. He leaped at him in the darkness, a loud grunt escaping from his chest as they went crashing through the glass covered table on their opposite side. He heard James growl in surprise as they rolled to the floor. He could feel shards of glass digging themselves into his back as James pinned him, and he braced himself for the blow.

Crack.

He winced as James's fist came in contact with the side of his head, and he feigned hurt for a second to distract him.

Jacob's fist connected with his face, another loud pop echoing in the dark room. They both growled out in anger as they swung at each other, fighting for dominance on the living room floor. The drapes came crashing down around them as they fought and rolled, adding to the already chaotic scene.

Jacob got out of his grasp, rolling himself up onto his feet. James mirrored his movements, and they circled each other. Jacob caught his menacing gaze in the faint light, giving him a slight chill.

This guy is absolutely psychotic, he thought to himself. He lunged again, unsuccessfully for a second time. He was about to reach for his gun when James delivered a tough roundhouse kick to his jaw.

Fuck, he thought. This guy can actually fight. Well….bring it, fucker.

He stretched out his neck, hearing it crack as James positioned himself again. He dodged another blow, falling to the side slightly. He caught himself quickly, readying himself for another shot.

And he got it.

"Argh!" he gasped.

The small blade cut across Jacob's side, barely grazing him. Still, the small cut stung like a thousand bee stings and made him stagger backwards. He punched James square in the nose, surely making him see double. With a crash, James fell back into the wall and grunted in pain. Jacob was still reeling from his gash, but he knew he had to end this now. His hand flew to his gun that was still tucked in his jeans. He saw James fall back again, clearly caught off guard.

Jacob watched as James looked up, realizing he had a gun. With one quick movement, he tossed a glass picture frame at his head. Jacob ducked, feeling the item whiz past his head by a few centimeters. He looked up just in time to see James dart onto the balcony and jump.

He rushed to the window to see him get up from the ground and stagger for a moment, only to disappear into the darkness.

"Fuck," he muttered. He had gotten away. That never happened.

He gasped a few times, trying to get himself together a bit. His heart was still pounding in his chest, and he was still reeling from the scuffle.

A few ragged breaths later, he stood up straight and looked toward the back bedroom where Renesmee still was. He had to see her.

He collected himself some more before moving to the bedroom door and knocking. "Renesmee?"

The door flew open and he was taken off guard yet again as she flung herself at him.

"Jacob!"

She hugged him tightly against her body, and he could feel her heart pounding wildly through her thin pajama top. He could also feel the way her soft, round breasts were pressed against him, only a thin layer of fabric separating them…

Stop it, he thought.

"Uh, you're welcome?" A cocky laugh slipped from his mouth as he lightly hugged her back. It felt wrong to hug a girl like Renesmee only minutes after a fight - he was still bloody!

"What happened?" she demanded, pulling away. He reached over, flipping on the hall light so that she could see.

She followed his gaze, her eyes widening when she saw her destroyed living room. Glass was everywhere along with broken furniture, spatters of blood, and various personal items were strewn everywhere.

It was an utter disaster.

"We had a….slight scuffle," Jacob replied, running his hand through his hair.

He explained what happened, and confirmed that it was indeed James that was out to get her that night. He watched her face grow with fear the more he talked, and he knew that he had to so something - anything - to keep her safe.

And he would.

As he watched her brown eyes fill with tears of relief, he knew he had to formulate a plan. An idea came to him and he suddenly felt a little better.

He knew how to keep her safe.

He wiped his stinging cut, just then noticing another small gash on his arm. Renesmee's face was clearly shocked.

"He had a knife?"

Jacob heard the slight tremble in her voice. He knew he had to play this down to keep the poor girl from coming unhinged.

"Yeah…or something. Got me a couple times…but I'll live."

He watched as she was hit with realization. Renesmee bit her trembling lip, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as her entire body began to shake. It felt horrible for her to realize the danger she was in, but he didn't want to lie to her. Lying wouldn't do her any good in a situation like this.

"I'm…I'm glad you're okay," her soft voice cut through the silence.

He nodded, giving her a light shrug. "Sure, sure. So uh…he's pretty determined. I think you need to get out of town. Soon."

"Really?"

Renesmee looked up at him in shock, and he nodded again. "I mean that. You're not safe here. He made that pretty clear tonight. I think your best bet is to leave for a few days."

"Leave?"

"Just for a day or two. Week tops. Just let things settle down. Let Charlie and his guys get on the case. They'll get everything sorted, just…it might help if you were gone."

"Come on," she replied softly, taking his hand. Sucking in a breath, he followed her to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, she opened a drawer searching for something. He reached for a white towel, picking it up off the rack.

"Care if I use this to clean-"

"-Not the white!" she gasped, taking it from him. Jacob's jaw dropped open awkwardly.

"Um…sorry,-"

"-It's okay. Just…here, I was going to help you clean that up."

"Okay," he replied, watching her. She pulled out a first aid kit, carefully wiping the blood off his stomach and side.

"You might need stitches," she said softly, looking up at him. He shrugged, taking the gauze from her and wiping more blood away. Examining the gash, he tried to ignore the singing pain as she wiped some antiseptic over it.

"Nah. I'll watch it for a few days. Just needs a bandage. I'll be right as rain in the morning."

She bandaged up the rest of his cuts and scrapes, commenting on his already visible scars. Jacob decided that he was probably the first person she had met besides Charlie that he would consider blue collar. Renesmee was intelligent, yet very sheltered and that was clear.

"Do you get injured like this a lot?"

He shrugged, surveying the damage done to his face in the large mirror before him.

"Oh yeah, all the time," he replied nonchalantly. "Part of the job. Wouldn't be exciting without getting a little banged up every now and then, would it?"

"Cocky," she muttered, opening another bandage.

He took it from her, frowning a bit.

"Mouthy," he chuckled. She yanked it back from his hand, bending over slightly to apply it to his side.

"Just let me do it!" she snapped slightly. He looked down at her quizzically, slightly annoyed with her but still completely enamored. How did this sassy, uppity young girl make him so….worked up?

"Are you always like this?"

"Like what?"

"So….wound up."

"When was the last time you had a killer after you?"

"I'm usually the one doing the chasing, actually."

"Never mind," she sighed, tossing the garbage into the bin. "I hope that doesn't need stitches."

"Nah, it'll be fine. Just relax - he's not coming back. No one would-be that stupid. You're at least safe for tonight."

"Whatever you say," she replied, leaving the room.

"I know where we can go," he replied, following her out of the bathroom. She stopped, surveying her destroyed living room.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Do you want to live?"

"Well…yes," she replied stubbornly.

"I'm not trying to put you out here Princess, but-"

"Just…." she held up her hand, silencing him.

"What?"

"I…I don't want to go, but…I guess I need to," she mumbled, biting her lip again. He briefly wondered why she did that so often, but said nothing.

"Renesmee….we'll figure this out. I'll keep you safe - I promise."

Renesmee turned around, a very relieved look on her pale face. "You will?"

He nodded curtly, turning to face her. "Of course. It's my job."


	6. Chapter 6

"It will be all right, you know," Jacob stated matter of factly.

Renesmee tried not to roll her eyes at him as the vehicle sped down the highway.

"You sound so sure," she muttered, glancing out the window. The snow-capped mountains sparkled in the sunlight, and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day; however, she still felt a little glum. Jessica's death was starting to sink in, and she realized after the night before that she could easily have been next.

She missed her friend terribly.

Jessica had always been a little wild and silly. She had never been known for her particularly good decision making skills. However, she had always been there for her and that was more than most of Renesmee's family could say.

"You're not next," he stated firmly, as though he had read her mind.

"Easy for you to say. No one is hunting for you."

"No, but…"

"Right," she said flatly. She looked at his statue-esque side profile as he drove along the highway heading north. She wasn't sure where they were headed, but wherever it was, the ride had been long.

"Not much farther til we get to the ferry," he replied.

"Where are we going?"

A grin broke out on his face as he turned off onto another exit. "Ferry to Vancouver. Then North."

"How much farther North, exactly?"

"Easy, Princess," he chuckled. "We're getting out of town, Charlie's orders. The farther we go, the better the chances that we'll knock him off your trail, so to speak."

"Sooo…where is it we're going?"

"North."

Renesmee blew out of puff of agitated air. "I can see that, you ass. I asked where we were going!"

Jacob laughed even louder. "Woo! You get riled up easy, don't ya? Don't get your panties in a twist, Princess. We're going to Canada to hide out a few days."

"Don't think for one second you had any affect on my panties, thank you very much. Don't flatter yourself," she snapped. "I asked a question, I wanted an answer. And stop calling me princess! My name is Renesmee."

He snorted. "Right. Well, you get awful worked up for nothing—"

"I just wanted to know where we're going."

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me!"

"Well, we're going there, whether you like it or not, Prin—Renesmee," he quickly corrected himself.

She fumed, even more irritated. Smacking her hand down on the dash, she gave him an incredulous look. "Re – nes – mee," she reminded him again, enunciating clearly.

"Yeah yeah, I getcha. Renesmee," he said, rolling his eyes. "That's quite a mouthful. Don't you have a nickname?"

"Ulgh, no," she replied haughtily, looking out the window.

He grinned, pleased that he had such an affect on her. "I'm going to think of one."

"You go right ahead. Good luck with that," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Let's see…Renesmee…Ness…Nessie. There. There it is," he chuckled. "Nessie."

"That's ridiculous," she scoffed. "Nessie? I sound like some sort of…backwoods Barbie!"

He laughed louder, beaming in a way that showed off his white teeth. "You're a piece of work! I give you a nickname, and you freak out! What's your deal?"

"My deal is that I don't do nicknames, all right? My name is Renesmee—"

"I'm still going to call you Nessie," he interrupted, stopping her rant.

"You go right ahead and do that. You see what kind of answer you get."

She sighed in defeat, leaning back against the seat. They drove for another hour in silence, although it was somewhat amicable. She already felt like she knew Jacob; he wasn't difficult to be around. He was easy on the eyes, laid back for the most part, and did a decent job at keeping her mind off of what was after her.

He also drove her completely nuts when he talked, but she was willing to overlook that.

For now.

She had more important things on her mind.

Someone out there is trying to kill me. Someone out there wants me dead, she thought to herself, as she stared out the window. Setting her jaw with determination, she silently vowed that would not to happen.

"Keep the change." Jacob pushed the remaining few dollars back at the cashier.

He walked away from the ferry's tiny snack bar with his two cups of coffee, absentmindedly wondering how she took hers. Cream? Sugar? Black? He wished he knew. Ever since he had seen Charlie's granddaughter down at the precinct, he had been completely obsessed with her. He had been drawn to her like a magnet after the first glance, and had been determined to talk to her. The fact that Charlie had practically begged him to take care of her safety had only been an added perk.

Making his way out to the deck, he looked around briefly, before spotting her bright, coppery curls. They moved in the breezy, chilly fall air, blowing around her face as she leaned over the railing.

He walked up to her, spying a few jealous glances from random men around them, who were also admiring her. Renesmee didn't blend in well; with her beautiful curls, pale, flawless skin, and brown eyes, she was easily the prettiest woman he had ever seen. And I've seen a lot of women, he thought with a smirk. Add in her small, petite stature and womanly curves, and she became a complete knockout in his book. Renesmee was just the type of girl he was attracted to – smaller in body type, but still muscular and curvy. The type of girl that looked killer in a low cut dress, could survive a strenuous hike in the mountains, ate steak and dessert for dinner, and most importantly, the type of girl that he wouldn't have to worry about breaking while in the sack.

Hmm…now that's a nice thought…

Renesmee's voice broke through his smutty thoughts. "Where did you run off to? I couldn't find you anywhere," she said worriedly, her perfect eyebrows pushed together slightly.

"Coffee," he said, handing it to her.

Renesmee looked down at the cup, and then back up at him in surprise.

"Oh…um…thanks," she replied.

He smiled at her, chiding himself for feeling so sorry for her.

"I at least make sure a girl has coffee in the morning after I sleep over," he replied cockily.

He was testing the waters and he knew it.

Renesmee rolled her eyes and sipped her drink.

"You know, you roll your eyes at me so much that they're going to get stuck that way someday," he quipped.

"Imagine that."

"Hey, don't you want sugar? Cream? I brought the works…" he offered, rummaging through his coat pocket.

She shook her head. "Nah…straight up is the way to go," she said, offering him a shaky smile.

"I like mine black, too," he said excitedly.

"Really? Cool," he replied stupidly. Chill, Black. So she likes her coffee the same as you. Not a reason to hop in the sack with her.

Renesmee gave him a strange look before accepting the coffee. She took the lid off and blew on the steaming liquid.

"Thanks," she replied, offering him a timid smile.

He sighed. He wasn't as smooth as he thought he was, apparently. He watched her look off in the distance to the other end of the large ferry. Her eyes went wide for a second before she shuddered.

"What?" he asked, following her gaze. He studied the crowd of people for a second, finally spying a blonde haired man with a slicked back ponytail. His hand went for his gun, which was hidden underneath his coat in it's holster. His hand went to her shoulder on instinct his eyes strained to stay locked on his target.

"Jake…" she whimpered, her body tensing. His breathing increased as his adrenaline pumped through his veins, preparing for his attack. He had to switch up the game; he was the hunter, not James. James was not the hunted. An offensive approach would have to help, right?

The man in the crowd turned around, and it was clearly not James. Jacob's shoulders slumped as both he and Renesmee breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Not….him," he said, relaxing from his tensed stance. His eyes met her panicked ones.

"It's okay," he assured her. Renesmee's shoulders dropped as she wrung her hands nervously.

"What's wrong? It's not him. I can go look just to make sure."

"No….it's fine."

"Then what's wrong?"

She sighed, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "I just wonder….is it always going to be like this? Every blonde guy with a ponytail I see? I'm going to have a heart attack…or a panic attack, or…or both. I can't be like this forever. I'll drive myself nuts."

"It won't always be like this, no," he said confidently. "Of course not. We'll get this guy. You'll be able to go on with life. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison. If I don't kill him first," he added with a growl to his voice.

"I can't stay say that I hate that idea," she sighed.

He nodded. "I wouldn't mind it either."

"I just don't want to live the rest of my life looking over my shoulder."

"I getcha. And we'll get him. But first….first we just have to make sure you're safe."

Turning around, she leaned over the railing of the ferry, watching the waters churning below. Jacob watched as the cool breeze ruffled a few of the bronzed curls that had slipped out of her braid. She was silent, staring off into space. He wanted to say something, but each time he thought of something his mind went blank or told him it was lame.

"Whatcha thinking?" he asked, trying once again to spur up some conversation.

She shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "Nothing…"

"Doesn't look like nothing," he observed. Ducking his head, he leaned on the railing beside her as he tried to catch her gaze. From her side profile, he saw her blink back a tear as she gazed at the churning water below.

"Something is wrong…I can tell when a girl is about to cry, you know."

She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Why, because you have had so many of them sleep over?" she scoffed.

"No," he replied, nudging her. "Because I grew up with two older sisters. I had to sit through more than one teary-eye at the dinner table growing up."

She smiled, wiping another tear away. "My parents are on another continent. My best friend is dead. My family is all…so far away," she sniffed, "and last but not least…there's someone out there trying to kill me, Jacob," she added, turning to him. "He wants me dead."

His heart twisted in his chest as he watched a fat tear roll down her cheek. "Don't worry," he said, not hesitating to pull her to his chest. To his surprise, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her and hold her for a second.

"No one is going to get you. I'm going to make sure of that – personally," he replied in his most self-assured voice. Well, the best one he could muster, anyway.

Renesmee pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Here I am…the blubbering idiot," she groaned. An embarrassed laugh left her mouth as she looked away again. "I'm sorry."

"Why sorry? I'm here for you…it's my civic duty," he laughed. "I'm here because I want to be."

"And Charlie made you."

"Well, that, too," he laughed. "But honestly…I couldn't be happier that Charlie trust me with his only granddaughter. Means a lot to me that the old guy would put something like on me. Happy to do it," he added.

"I feel so silly…worrying like this."

"Why?"

"I feel…helpless. I just never thought I'd be the helpless girl, you know?"

"It's not such a bad thing. Not with guy like me around, anyway."

Renesmee rolled her eyes at his cocky comment, noting how she was almost used to them right now.

"You know, you say all this cocky shit and….I'm beginning to just get used to it. Is that bad?"

He laughed. "No. I'm known for being a cocky ass. I don't mean half of it. Just….slips out," he muttered, grinning to himself. He took another sip of his coffee, wincing as the hot liquid scorched his tongue.

Renesmee laughed as he painstakingly swallowed, cringing.

"Trouble?" she teased.

Jacob tried to look normal as he winced through the pain, but ended up nearly choking on the hot liquid.

"The uh….ow…coffee is really, uh, hot," he stuttered.

She looked at him with her wide brown eyes before they both erupted into laughter.

"You're funny."

Jacob leaned on the railing next to her, his arm brushing up against hers. She tried to ignore the way it made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"You think me getting hurt is funny?"

She shook her head, trying not to laugh. "Um…no," she giggled.

He nudged her with his elbow, trying not to chuckle.

"It's okay, my sisters always thought it was funny when I got hurt."

"I take it you do that a lot?"

He nodded. "I was always getting into trouble as a kid, coming home all banged up. But you know, not all guys would take a knife for a girl they just met."

Renesmee looked at him sideways, her gaze skeptical.

"I think he only grazed you…."

"But still!" he laughed. "It was a knife!"

She nodded in agreement. "Very true. Yes Jacob, you're very gallant and noble."

"That's more like it."

"I do appreciate this, you know."

"Could have fooled me," he teased.

Sipping his coffee, he gazed out across the water. "We'll be there soon. It's been a long day; you're probably tired. We can get back in the car, and you can sleep the rest of the way."

She nodded, smiling. "If I forget or…don't get a chance to tell you for some reason or another…thank you, Jacob."


	7. Chapter 7

Once they left the ferry, the drive up to the cabin seemed endless. He was tired after not getting much sleep the night before and was looking forward to getting a good night's rest at the cabin. Something about the woods, the sound of the pines as they moved in the frosty air, the sound of the birds…there was nothing better to lull someone to sleep in his opinion. Stretching slightly, he tried to focus on the road ahead of him and relax. His body was sore from wrestling with James the night before, and he knew he was lucky to have gotten away with just a few meager scratches. People like James were ruthless; they had nothing to lose whatsoever.

He had acted bravely, but in all honestly, Jacob was just glad that both of them had lived to see the morning. He would never forget the hungry gleam in James' eyes. He was obviously unhinged and had no qualms about risking his life for revenge.

"We're almost there."

Renesmee looked up, frowning. "We're in the middle of nowhere," she mused.

He watched her simple, yet exquisite features turn dark as she scowled at the scenery.

"It's nature," he argued with a shrug.

She turned her frown toward him.

"It's the middle of nowhere."

He chuckled. "That's the idea. Isolation."

"Great," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"You'll like it."

"We'll see."

"Sorry, Princess. Charlie's orders. We needed to get out of town," he explained patiently.

"Must you keep calling me that?"

"Must you use words like 'must' to start a sentence?"

"Pardon me for not being born in a barn," she finally huffed.

"I wasn't born in a barn! I just don't speak like I'm from the 1920s. Out of curiosity, did you go to a boarding school in Switzerland?"

She snorted, propping her sock-clad feet up on the dash of the car.

"No. I went to a normal high school, just like everyone else."

He gave her a skeptical glance. Renesmee huffed and slapped her knees.

"All right! I went to St. Peter's School for Girls. Happy?"

"I'll be happy if you tell me you all danced around in short little skirts."

"Are you perhaps a twelve year old stuck in a man's body? Goodness," she growled.

"Perhaps, yes," he replied to mock her.

"Do you have to make fun of everything I say? You're so sweet one minute, and then the next…"

"What?" he asked curiously, looking over at her. He watched her closely, only glancing at the winding country road when he had to.

"Just…you make me crazy."

He snorted again, a satisfied rumble sounding in his chest.

"Yup, well…I tend to make most women crazy. Crazy for me…"

"You're insane."

"You like it."

"Ass," she muttered.

Jacob barked a loud laugh, shaking slightly.

"Do you kiss your daddy with that mouth, Princess?"

"Just shut up. I'm sure we can drive the rest of the way there without talking. All we do is argue about pointless nonsense."

"Fine, fine."

"Can you just drive?"

He snickered at her behavior, shaking his head at her. As annoying as her huffy attitude could get at times, he had to admit an inescapable attraction to Charlie's granddaughter.

"Grumpy, are we?" he asked, grinning.

She bit her lip and looked sideways at him, shrugging. Her façade of having everything under control was steadily crumbling.

"If you had someone out to kill you, wouldn't you be?"

They pulled up to the rustic mountain cabin an hour later.

It had been an hour of silence. Comfortable, yet still silent. He could tell she was afraid and was starting to feel bad for her, until they opened the front door and she opened her mouth again.

"So this is it…my home for the next…how long?"

He dropped his bag in the entry way, breathing in a breath of the fresh, pine-scented country air. "However long it takes. Why the hurry? It's beautiful up here," he said, throwing open the curtains with a flourish.

With a big cloud of dust, the plaid curtains slid open, revealing a large, open backyard, which overlooked a lake.

"It's my uncle's fishing cabin. We come up here for…guys' nights," he admitted with a shrug. He watched as Renesmee looked around skeptically, her face letting on to her feelings.

"It's um…cozy?"

He opened another set of curtains, feeling his annoyance with her grow. How could someone so utterly gorgeous be so…irritating at times?

"You know, maybe I wouldn't call you princess if you didn't act like one."

She dropped her matching travel bags in the hallway with a thump. "I don't act like anything! I said it was cozy!"

"Yeah, well, you said it with that little 'eh!' to your voice, like you were being a snob about it."

"I am not a snob!" she huffed.

"Says who? Your butler?" he yelled from across the room. He could feel his heart start to pound in his chest. This girl and the things she said just sometimes ate at him.

"I've never had a butler in my life!" she screeched.

"No, but you had a maid, didn't you?"

Renesmee's jaw clenched, and Jacob shook his head with a knowing smirk.

"Knew it," he quipped.

"Angela only came on weekends!"

"See, I knew it. I knew someone like you would have a maid. You are a princess, whether you want to admit it or not," he grumbled, brushing past her on his way to the kitchen.

He flipped the lights on, bringing the tiny log cabin's kitchen into a warm glow. If Renesmee hadn't been so angry with him, she might have normally appreciated the quaintness of the tiny mountain home. However, Jacob had her too riled.

I should have known, she thought. Someone like that…I should have known. No matter how good looking he is, someone, somewhere is sick of his shit.

"You know, as a cop, shouldn't you be more focused on…oh, I don't know, protecting me?"

"As you wish…" he trailed off.

She made a disgusted sound and crossed her arms, following him out of the kitchen.

"Do not quote the Princess Bride and think I don't know!"

Jacob gave her an annoyed glance and walked over to the cabin's windows overlooking the lake. The dark, billowy clouds in the distance made him nervous.

"Storm's coming in. Time to hunker down."

"Hunker down?"

He nodded as he walked over the fireplace, checking their supply. "Yeah. You know, getting ready for the storm? Staying in? Hunker down. We're low on wood…I'd better go chop some."

She giggled, following him over to look at the fireplace. "Chop wood? What are you, a lumberjack?"

"Listen, we don't have heat in this place. The only thing we'll have is the heat from the wood burning stove. There's the fireplace, but that only provides heat in this room. Now, do you want to freeze when this storm comes in? Because I sure don't," he grumbled, moving past her.

"Fine," she sighed.

"Don't go anywhere…I'll just be out back. You shout if you need anything, okay?"

She nodded, giving him a saucy glare. "Where would I be without my lumberjack?" she joked with a playful smirk.

"You like it," he countered back.

She rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance for what felt like the millionth time that day, as he left. Her hands searched her pockets for her cell phone, but she remembered that he had turned it off for her safety. Looking through the back door's small window, she watched as he walked to the side of the house and paused at the woodpile, surveying the stack of wood remaining. He disappeared, only to return with an axe. He began expertly chopping wood, and she took the time alone to explore.

The cabin they were staying in was small, but homey. She had to admit, watching Jacob out in the Canadian backwoods had done wonders for her imagination. Her lumberjack comment had been purely in jest. However, ever since that comment had slipped from her mouth, she had been thinking about nothing but Jacob dressed as a lumberjack. Yeah…low slung jeans that hang off his ass, no shirt, perhaps something flannel wrapped around his waist? Oh, and sweat. Sweat is good, too.

Her mind was instantly flooded with images of a tan, sweaty Jacob chopping wood in the blistering summer heat, droplets of sweat rolling down his sinewy muscles…stop!

She knew it was wrong to think of Charlie's partner that way. It was wrong to think of her hired protection that way. He wasn't hers to fantasize about; when this whole thing was over, they would both go back to Seattle. He would go back to working as a cop, and she would go back to…what?

Frowning, she walked through the main room of the house, observing. It was a pretty little cabin; the entry way led to the main room, which was an A-frame overlooking the lake. Although small, it boasted a large couch and a fireplace, and beside it was the open kitchen with a tiny table for eating. On the other side of the living room was the solitary bathroom, which was connected to the tiny mud room and laundry room. There was a narrow staircase that led up to the loft, which Jacob had mentioned had a bedroom.

Would he let her sleep in the bed? Or would he expect her to sleep on the couch? Her lips pressed together in a thin line as she thought, trying to gauge how she thought the night would play out.

Of course he'll sleep on the couch. He certainly won't want to sleep with you, she chided herself. Sleeping with Jacob. Would there really be any sleeping if she was to actually sleep with him?

I have a dirty mind, she thought with a smirk. Gazing out the windows at the lake below, she took a deep breath. Although the tiny cabin was a bit musty, overall, the air up here was exactly as Jacob had said – clean, fresh, pine-y. It was quite relaxing, actually, and was definitely something she would have enjoyed, had she not been running for her life.

Movement in the background caught her eye. Inhaling, she caught sight of Jacob, still outside and chopping away at the woodpile…shirtless. The crisp, late Fall air seemed to have no affect on him as he raised the rusted axe into the air, bringing it down with one hard swing. The log split in two with a crack, making her jump. He paused and yanked out his undershirt that was tucked into the back of his jeans. Wiping his brow, he tossed it on the ground and kept at his work, chopping and stacking.

I shouldn't be watching this, she told herself.

She walked back into the kitchen, pulling the plaid curtain back to look up the winding driveway. This was clearly a cabin used mainly for fishing retreats; it was secluded and private. What were the odds of James finding her here?

Looking up, he gave the sky above a worried glance. The clouds and color of the sky weren't fooling him; a storm was coming. While the cabin offered a safe hiding place with some seclusion, he didn't much care for the idea of being trapped up there. When it snowed in the mountains, it snowed hard.

His gaze shifted to the nearby window, surprise registering on his face when he saw the curtain flutter back into place.

Was she watching me? he thought with a smirk. He took his shirt the was tucked into the back of his jeans and wiped his brow, secretly hoping he didn't smell too bad after chopping wood. Girls like Renesmee…didn't seem like they would like a smelly man.

You shouldn't be thinking about what kind of guy she likes. She's not for you.

It was true. He could tell by the fancy digs and expensive looking clothes that Renesmee had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. The little comments Charlie had made throughout the years about his daughter's hoity toity husband were finally coming back to him.

Jacob knew the family that Charlie's daughter Bella had married into. The Cullens were a prominent family in the area, due to the wild success of their popular restaurant, Forks. He knew the family was originally from Forks, Washington, not far from his hometown of La Push. There, everyone had heard the Cullen name at least once. A rare sports car spotted at the gas station? Probably the Cullens. A large donation to the Christmas fundraiser? The Cullens were at it again.

When you're rich in a small town, everyone knows it when you sneeze.

Jacob had been surprised to find out that Charlie's daughter was married to a Cullen; each time he had met her over the years he had known Charlie, she seemed very down to earth and kind – simple, even. She wasn't the type of girl he had pictured being married to one of the richest families in Washington.

With Renesmee, it seemed to go either way. She didn't make as big of a deal as he thought she was going to about running away to a mountain cabin with him. She didn't seem to mind being deep in the woods without her cell phone and five star dining. Of course, she had made a snooty comment here and there, but they weren't that bad. He mainly just enjoyed ripping into her about it. He felt bad for teasing her, but she made it hard to resist. However, sometimes the expressions she made and the things she said were too hard to pass up without a 'princess' comment or some teasing.

I feel like I'm in fifth grade and I'm teasing the cute girl I have a crush on.

Grinning to himself, he began stacking what he had cut. He hoped it was enough for at least the night, because the temperature had dropped several degrees in the short amount of time he was outside.

Walking inside, he navigated through the house with a huge stack of logs in his arms, dumping them next to the wood burning stove. The black, dusty looking stove separated the kitchen from the living area, and he hoped between that and the fireplace, that would be enough. He had only been up to the cabin once during the cold season to ice fish as a boy, and all he could remember was being cold.

He hoped that was not the case tonight.

Renesmee was sitting on the couch, staring off into space. Her large, doe-like brown eyes were wide and glassy as she sat there.

"Everything okay?" he asked, stacking the pieces up.

She nodded, pulling her sweater around herself tighter.

"Sure," she muttered. "You look worried, though. Is it…going to snow?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

He shrugged, trying to downplay the huge clouds that were rolling in over the lake.

"Might get some snow, yeah. No way to tell for sure."

"Is there a weather station we could check?"

He smirked to himself, digging his lighter out of his pocket. "If you go into town, sure. But if you want to stay here, there's a radio in the kitchen somewhere."

He watched her face for a sign of disgust, but she simply nodded and stood. She walked over, pulling the curtain to the side again.

"It's going to storm, isn't it? A big snowstorm?"

"Maybe," he muttered, cracking the pieces of wood apart to make kindling. After building a fire, he made his way into the kitchen to check on their food supply. The last time they had eaten was hours ago in Vancouver, and he knew both of them would start to get hungry soon. Opening the cabinets, he smiled to himself as he began to get things in order.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pulling her sweater around herself as she walked over.

"Making you the Black Family special recipe," he answered, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Renesemee blushed a little, looking away.

"Looks like a can of Ragu sauce and some garlic powder."

"You'd be right," he said with a cough, starting the water. He glanced at her sideways as he put the water on the stove with a flourish. He grabbed the tattered apron from the hook near the pantry and tied it around his waist.

She giggled at how ridiculous he looked.

"Well, family recipe or not, I'm cooking you dinner tonight."

"Hmm, I don't remember the last time someone cooked me dinner," she mused, sitting down at the counter.

He glanced at her again, raising one eyebrow. "Haven't you had a guy cook you dinner?"

She shook her head. "No…I mean, Mike was all about going out all the time. You know, see and be seen?"

He shrugged, stirring the sauce on the stove. "I guess. Don't see the point of that, though. Who cares if you're out to dinner?"

She shook her head to herself and leaned over the counter. "Other people, I guess. I never cared for it. So…do you cook a lot of girls dinner?"

He smirked up at her. "Why? Jealous?"

She mimicked his smirk back. "I never said that. Just making conversation. People like it when you ask about them. People like talking about themselves in general…."

Jacob shrugged, stirring the boiling water and checking the heat. "I 'spose. I don't know. Just…not a whole lot to talk about in that regard."

Renesmee swallowed, waiting for him to elaborate. Glancing at her again, he licked his lips and stirred the Ragu. "I…ah…don't have time for dates, and…girlfriends. It just doesn't really work out well when you're a cop."

She nodded. "One of the main reasons Charlie and Renee didn't work out."

"Yeah, he'll bring her up once in a while."

"Seriously? He brings up my grandma?" Renesmee asked curiously.

He nodded. "Still has a little picture of her up on his desk."

"He does?"

"Do you think…"

"…that he never got over her? Yeah. I do. He always asks me about her when I come home from visits," Renesmee answered, finishing his sentence. She liked talking about Jacob and finding out more about him; the only things she knew so far was that he was a smartass and a cop.

"Charlie is…oh Charlie," she laughed, shaking her head.

He snorted, breaking the pasta over the boiling water. "Why do you say it like that? That, 'oh Charlie.' He's not exactly ready to be turned out to pasture. He's a great cop and…and one of the best guys on the force. Trust me, you want him on your side."

Renesmee shrugged. "I guess. He's just always been my quiet, bumbling old grandpa that always wanted to take me fishing, and then out for burgers. That's just him, though. It's what we always expect with him. There aren't any surprises or pretenses with him. He's got an armchair older than me. It's just so…Charlie."

"He's a really brave guy; you shouldn't put him down like that," Jacob replied, opening the jar of sauce. He poured it into a skillet, turning up the burner. She watched him stir it carefully, spreading it around the pan.

There is something so sexy about a man cooking dinner for me… she thought.

"I'm not putting him down. He's just…I think of him as my old grandpa, you know?"

"I guess," Jacob replied with a shrug.

She sat at the kitchen counter, watching as he stood on the other side of the pot. The water rose a boil, cooking the spaghetti as they both looked on, a comfortable silence settling between them.

Renesmee rested her chin on her hand, watching as the water bubbled. She thought back to when Charlie had been shot. She was just a teen at the time, and his injury had worried her mother to death. She remembered being pulled out of school to go visit him in the hospital, and Bella had almost refused to leave his side. Charlie had taken it like a champ, claiming he would have done it all over again in a heartbeat, since it had saved the life of a young police rookie. Frowning, she looked up at Jacob.

"You're the rookie."

"What?"

"I said, you're the rookie," she repeated. "You're the rookie who Charlie took the bullet for, aren't you?"

Jacob's facial reaction was her answer.

"I knew it."

"You didn't know crap," he replied, rolling his eyes.

She put her hands on her hips and huffed, and her eyes widened as he did the same thing. "Are you mocking me now?"

"Looks that way, huh, Princess," he muttered under his breath, continuing to stir the spaghetti.

"I hate you," she grumbled, shaking her head.

"The feeling is mutual," he spat, flicking the burner off. He glanced at her sideways as he strained the finished pasta, moving it to the sink.

Renesmee glanced out at the lake, effectively ignoring his hissy fit. The sun was setting, and the cabin was getting dark. She didn't see many lights, so she stood up and grabbed a match, lighting the candle that sat on a shelf.

"You can put that on the table…the overhead light is out."

"Fine."

Their answers to each other were short as he finished up preparing their dinner. They were both annoyed and clearly making each other crazy.

A few minutes later, he tossed a plate of spaghetti down in front of her. He sat across from her at the table, scooting his chair up to the table with an annoyed grunt. They avoided each other's eyes, both of them stiff with a fierce stubbornness not to relent.

She carefully stabbed the pasta, twirling her fork in a circle. It wrapped perfectly around her fork, allowing her to place it in her mouth. Jacob looked up, watching her with another cocky smirk.

"You seriously eat your spaghetti like that?"

She repeated the action, her hand clasping her napkin in her lap to keep from slapping him.

"Yes, I do."

He snorted.

"How would you suggest I eat it?"

He leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow. "You eat spaghetti like you just don't care who's watching. You eat like you aren't ever going to get another bite…but I supposed you can't do that if you're out to 'see and be seen'," he replied haughtily.

She dropped her fork against her plate with a clatter. "I told you I didn't care for that. I couldn't care less who sees me eating."

He was silent again, shoveling a large bite of the messy food into his mouth. He met her eyes over the table, crouching over his food. He was daring her to laugh, and she knew it.

Renesmee burst into laughter, shaking her head at him. "You're ridiculous."

He shrugged, wiping his mouth with a chuckle. "It's how we eat the Black Family Recipe, what can I say."

"It is, um…pretty good," she agreed, taking another bite. She allowed her selection to get a little messier, attempting to mimic him.

"There ya go. That's right. Just eat. Don't worry about getting it all perfect. Just eat it."

"Do you see what I'm doing?" she laughed. "I'm getting there."

Jacob smiled smugly as he watched her eat. He sipped his water, glancing out at the storm. He wanted to keep Renesmee from worrying about the storm he knew was coming; it might have been something about his Native heritage, but he almost swore he could feel the storm coming in his bones. The last thing he wanted her to do right now was worry.

"So you like it?" he asked as a distraction.

"I'm eating it, aren't I?"

He snorted. "Right. I guess princesses wouldn't eat anything they didn't approve of."

"Would you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

She glared at him, and he glared back.

"You know, you look like an angry kitten when you do that."

"Do what?"

"That thing where you…try to be scary."

"I am scary."

He snorted again. "Riiiight. About as scary as a kitten, like I said."

"You're no better."

He leaned back in his chair, making it creak. "I can be very scary when I want to be."

She scoffed. "I bet."

He smirked to himself, pushing his heap of pasta around on his plate. "But you do like the food all right? We'll probably be eating it for breakfast."

She shrugged. "It's fine. Beats Spaghetti-Os."

"What?"

She laughed to herself, shaking her head. "It's what Charlie always used to feed me when I came to visit."

"I see. Yeah, that seems like the Chief."

She paused for a moment, thinking to herself. "You know, I'm actually not a princess at all. I'm really down to earth."

"Sure. I bet."

Renesmee took another bite of her pasta, chewing thoughtfully. "Actually, Mike used to chide me for not being as stuck up as he thought I should be. He always was a mooch. I think he only liked me because of my family…I can see him trying to ride my father's coattails and coast through life," she mused.

Jacob burst out laughing, smacking the table with his large hand at her words. "You're serious? I don't know what's funnier – the fact that he was a mooch, or that fact that you knew."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "He was decent company."

"Riiight."

"No, really!"

"So what qualifies a guy as decent company?"

Renesmee bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "He was nice. He never hit me or yelled at me, or anything awful. Nothing like the stuff you…read in bad romance novels or anything like that," she said.

Jacob chuckled. "So?"

She sighed, using the tip of her fork to make zig zag designs in her sauce. "So nothing. It wasn't some great romance. We came together out of…"

"Boredom?"

She scowled across the table. "Well, I was going to say convenience, but…out of respect for him, I won't. He wasn't a bad guy; we hardly ever fought. Some of my friends put up with a lot worse…but Mike was decent."

"Sounds like a prince. He never hit you and he could make decent conversation with your parents, it sounds like. That's worth dating someone for four years?"

"Well, no…" she stated slowly. "He liked to go places and do things with me, and he was always up for something fun. Don't get the wrong idea…"

"He was nice, then?"

"Yeah. He was a good guy. Fun to be around. I mean…we dated practically all through college, so…we got to know each other pretty well."

"How was the sex?"

She coughed, her eyes bulging out. "What?"

He chuckled. "You know? Bumping uglies? Doing the nasty? How was that? I mean, you talk about the poor bastard like he was one of your best girlfriends. How was he in the sack?"

Renesmee giggled nervously, twisting her napkin in her lap. "Why would you ask that?"

"Humor me."

She shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at Jacob. "He was…fine, I guess—"

"Fine?"

"Fine."

"I want to fall asleep just listening to you talk about it," Jacob said with a snort.

"You're a real smartass, you know it?"

"Better than being a dumbass."

"Wow, your really do spend too much time with Charlie."

He huffed a little at her comment, crossing his arms.

"You know, you're awful judge-y for someone who asks a lot of questions, yet has still not answered his share."

"What do you want to know?"

"I guess we're on the topic of exes."

Jacob looked down at his place. "When I have time to date—"

"That's crap," she said, interrupting him. "If you wanted to, you'd make time for a girl."

"How could you possibly know that?"

She grinned. "I've learned that if a guy wants you badly enough, he'll do anything to make it so."

He rolled his eyes, taking another bite. She watched him chew, the wheels in his brain almost visible.

"If I had time for a girl, she'd have to be so literally smoking hot explosive that it would be worth going a day or two without seeing her…touching her."

Renesmee felt a chill go up her spine at his words. He pursed his lips as he thought, and then nodded.

"Yeah, she'd have to be worth it."

She stared across the table at him, her eyes wide. He stared back with his calm and almost determined gaze. Renesmee swallowed, breaking their eye contact and returning to his food.

"Is it okay? The food, I mean?"

She smirked to herself, not making eye contact with him.

"It's great, actually. You cooked for me though…"

"So?"

"So I must be worth it."


	8. Chapter 8

Renesmee tossed and turned that night, trying to get comfortable. Living in the city, she had gotten used to lots of noises at night. Sirens, car horns, people yelling and talking, garbage trucks…But in the woods, there was none of that.

Here, it was quiet.

Too quiet.

An owl hooted in the trees above the cabin, making her head jerk up off the pillow in alarm.

"Just an owl," she said to herself, flopping back down on the pillow. She felt stupid for being afraid of the tiniest things now, every other little thing making her jump out of her skin.

You should be a bit jumpy. You're being tracked by a psycho who murdered your best friend. You're entitled to a little jumpiness.

Ness, she thought with a smirk. In the past few days, Jacob had called her everything from Ness to Nessie to Princess Nessie. She'd pretended to hate it, but she secretly felt the nicknames growing on her. No one in her family had ever called her by anything other than her mouthful of a name, so this was quite the change.

But did she like it because it was a nickname, or just because of the person who had given it to her?

Jacob.

Her stomach did an excited flop as she thought of her hired protector. Sure, he was an ass at times, but really, that made her all the more excited. It thrilled her to be so open and honest with another person enough to point out their flaws and bitch at them and to have it done back to her. The fighting was what made it…well, hot. None of her other boyfriends had ever talked to her like that, and as much as she hated to admit it, they were as prim and proper as her own father.

Do girls actually date men like their fathers? she wondered. With a shudder, she silently hope not. As much as she adored her father, Edward, his personality was nothing she hoped for in a guy. He was refined, polite to a fault, and rarely let loose enough to have any fun. He was loving, yet entirely too serious, and Renesmee had always had a difficult time getting to know him, because he was so guarded.

No, she certainly didn't see herself with anyone like that.

Unfortunately, she realized, all of her other boyfriends had been astoundingly similar to Edward – worried too much about work, making money, and impressing all the right people. It was always about getting ahead.

Smirking to herself, she realized Jacob was the complete and utter opposite. He was brazen, self assured, a bit of an ass, and didn't care who knew it. He was up front about his opinions and annoying with his stubbornness, but deep down, he seemed quite passionate. He was certainly passionate about his career, that was for sure.

She admired it.

Her father hated working; she knew he only worked for money and business connections. Jacob seemed like he worked because he genuinely liked helping people and putting bad guys behind bars.

Not to mention he had the body of an Adonis.

Closing her eyes, she pictured his tan, sinewy arms as they stretched the sleeves of his t-shirt. How his jeans hung off his butt in just the right way, allowing her to get a good view whenever he turned around. How the v-shaped muscle in his abdomen had flexed when he raised the axe while chopping wood…

Opening her eyes, she fanned herself slightly and licked her lips. Now that was something she wanted to think about as she fell asleep… Screw James.

Heaving a sigh, she stared up at the log ceiling and began to count the beams as she tried to find sleep. Her surroundings were unfamiliar, and that did little to help her relax, despite how tired she was. The cabin was small, yet comfortable, with a definite homey feeling she would have enjoyed had she not been running for her life.

The upstairs was simply a loft that overlooked the living room below it. There was room for a double bed and a few simple pieces of furniture and not much else. She could hear Jacob moving around downstairs on the couch. It sounded as if he was having as much trouble getting to sleep as she was.

Closing her eyes, she tried her best to relax and think of happy thoughts as she took a few deep breaths. She even tried picturing Jacob chopping wood to help her fall asleep. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the bloody images that kept creeping back into her thoughts. Her brain concocted pictures of James with evil, glowing eyes as he watched her from the trees in a dark forest. A breeze whipped through the trees outside her window, making her jump. She whimpered and sat up in bed, her eyes wide as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Ness?"

She was so startled, she didn't even flinch at Jacob's nickname.

"Jacob?"

She listened as he sat up on the couch, throwing off his covers. He padded up the steps in his bare feet, flipping on the small light at the top of the steps. She squinted as he stood before her in nothing but a pair of worn gray sweatpants. Renesmee blushed, trying not to stare at the way his pants hung off the chiseled muscles of his abdomen.

She hoped she didn't look guilty.

"You all right? I heard you like…make a noise or something," he grunted, running his hand through his messy black hair.

She pulled the covers up slightly, embarrassed that he had come up because of her stupid nightmare.

"Just a um….bad dream, I guess. I'm…I guess I'm just not used to being out here…in the woods," she stammered, looking away.

"It's all right. Well, are you okay now?"

She looked up, meeting his gaze, and nodded. There was concern in his dark eyes, and she felt her heart stutter a little as she watched him standing at the top of the stairs.

He's so freaking hot…and muscled…and…

She blinked a few times, hoping he didn't see her blush.

He shuffled over before she could answer, sitting down on the edge of the bed. His weight made the mattress creak slightly, and she pulled her legs up to her chest as she watched him. He remained a safe distance away, and she could sense he didn't want to make her uncomfortable."I know this place is new and whatnot, but…I think we're really safe up here."

"You do?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sure. I mean, it's way up here in the mountains, and there is no way to link us here. I haven't been up here in years, so there isn't any way he would know that I would pick this spot to hide."

She nodded, resting her chin on her knees. "I know it's silly for me to be so…so jumpy. But I was really just up here…freaking myself out."

He nodded in understanding, his muscled shoulders shrugging slightly.

"I get it. You're in a new place, something traumatic just happened. Do you want me to stay up here with you?"

Renesmee balked, looking at the other side of the double bed. It wasn't tiny, but it wasn't big, by any means.

"Or not," he replied. "Just to keep you company. Erm, no funny business," he said firmly, giving her a curt nod.

She giggled slightly at his sudden business-like manner. "Well, I guess if you put it like that…"

He nodded officially again, standing up to walk to the other side of the bed.

"Hey, I'm a smartass and whatnot, but Dad always taught me to never touch a lady unless she asks."

Renesmee turned her head to the side at his statement, giving him a quizzical look. Jacob's mouth fell open in embarrassment, his eyes getting a little wide in the dim light.

"I…I…I didn't mean it like that, I mean…"

Renesmee laughed again, waving him off.

"No, I…I get it. It's fine. You're a cop, I trust you," she laughed, scooting out of the middle of the bed.

Jacob flipped off the light at the top of the steps, avoiding her eyes as he walked over to the bed. He sat down with a thump on the mattress, his large frame making the bed springs creak again as he settled under the covers, staying outside of the sheets and opting to only use the top blanket. She rolled her eyes as he settled in on his stomach, punching the pillow a few times.

"Comfortable?" she hissed, trying not to laugh.

"Pillow's lumpy."

"I like them like that. Trade me?"

He grunted, switching her hard pillow for his lumpy one. Renesmee laughed again, settling into the "lumpy" pillow with a deep breath. It already smelled like Jacob – warm, spicy, almost like cinnamon and smoke. Beside her, she listened to his deep, even breaths as he promptly fell back asleep.

This time, she fell asleep without another thought.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cracking her eye open, she frowned. It wasn't light enough. She sat up in bed, noticing Jacob's spot was empty. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was nearly eight in the morning, yet the sky was dark and cloudy.

Pulling on her robe and slippers, she shuffled down the steps and found Jacob in the kitchen at the stove. He was dressed in jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt, yet he still gave her a bashful look as she walked up, which she returned. Even though they hadn't done anything remotely risqué the night before, she still felt strangely guilty that they had slept in the same bed when they barely knew each other.

"Coffee?"

She nodded, sitting down at the counter as he poured her a steaming cup. Glancing at the potatoes, she gave him a quizzical look.

"I thought we were low on food?"

He shook his head, glancing back toward the laundry room.

"Nah. I found lots of good stuff in the deep freeze," he said, jabbing his thumb at the air behind him. "Good thing, too. You like hash browns and bacon?"

Renesmee tried to keep herself from salivating at the greasy, carb-filled food that she normally would have never allowed herself.

"Yes, but I also like fitting into my clothes," she quipped without thinking. He gave her a skeptical look, and she nodded. "Yes."

He cooked in silence for awhile, Renesmee laughing as she dodged the grease as it popped and sizzled in the skillet. She wasn't about to complain; it smelled extremely appetizing.

"You're up early," she noted as she watching him poke at the potatoes as they cooked.

"Had to be. Someone was snoring in my face this morning as I was trying to sleep," he replied with a smirk. He picked up his coffee and sipped it, winking at her over the rim of his cup.

She made a disgusted noise and pouted, "I do not snore!"

"Bull. You did it right in my face. If I'd had my phone handy, I would have recorded it and played it back to prove it to you, Princess."

"Right. I'm sure," she replied flatly, standing up.

She refreshed her coffee, offering to do the same for him. He nodded, giving her a shy look at she filled his cup with the steaming liquid. She tried to remind herself that even though he was an ass, he had done a nice thing the night before by offering some company.

"Thanks for, um…for last night."

He smirked.

"Don't take that comment like a typical man. Pig," she added, sitting back down. He served her the hot, greasy food, before placing a plate in front of himself.

"I didn't say anything," he replied casually, taking a bite of bacon.

She glared at him, before taking a bite of her hash browns. The warm, greasy food tasted like heaven, and she quickly dug in. They ate the rest of their breakfast in a comfortable silence, Jacob pausing only a few times to glance outside at the sky. Renesmee followed his gaze, watching his look of concern.

"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to determine what he was frowning about.

"Nothing. Hey, I gotta go bring in the rest of that wood. Will you be all right here?"

"Sure. I'll just…find a book to read or…something," she replied, looking around skeptically.

I'm sure I'll find something captivating to read, she thought to herself sarcastically. Something about hunting and fishing or skinning rabbits or whatever it is you do in places like this.

"Good. I'll be back later," he said, standing up. He put their plates in the sink, before grabbing his coat and slipping on a pair of boots by the side door. Without another word, he was gone.

She sat alone most of the morning, getting so bored, she pulled a newspaper from five years before out of the heap next to the fireplace and completed the crossword. She listened as Jacob stacked logs against the side of the house, coming inside only a few times to warm up and get some water. When he was finally finished, it was early afternoon, and the sky was growing darker by the moment.

"It's going to storm, isn't it?" she finally asked, watching his face. It seemed to grow more and more worried as the hours dragged by.

"Little bit. Might go north of here. No way to tell."

She glanced out the window, pulling back the plaid curtain to look. How he could tell the storm was going to go north, she had no idea. For once, she was silently thankful that Jacob seemed to know a thing or two about the wilderness.

"It might not even hit."

She looked back at him, his expression much lighter. She could tell he was trying not to worry her about the approaching storm. However, Jacob didn't have much of a poker face. He was worried, and so was she.

"Do you want to play checkers?" he asked hopefully after they had eaten lunch.

She shrugged, laughing a little at his suggestion.

"Are we five?"

"No, but seeing as how there's practically nothing else to do up here…"

He trailed off, glancing around the tiny living room. He was right. The cabin didn't hold much in the way of entertainment, and she was guessing they weren't going to simply sit and stare at each other the entire night.

Not that I would mind staring at him all night, she thought to herself with a smirk. Normally, what would I do with a hot guy all alone in the woods? We certainly wouldn't be playing checkers…

Jacob's voice cut through her thoughts. "What's that look for?"

"What?" She snapped out of her dirty thoughts, instantly embarrassed as she hoped her face wasn't a dead giveaway.

"You had this look on your face like—"

"Just set them up," she answered quickly, looking away.

He snorted, opening the ancient looking box and setting up the pieces. "I'll be black…I'm always black," he explained.

She laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Get it? Black?" he asked, giving her a bright smile.

"Okay, so that answers my question…we apparently are five."

"Whatever. Get ready to have your butt handed to you in checkers, Princess."

Five hours and dozens of checkers games later, they were almost evenly tied for games. Renesmee made another mark on the slip of paper she had beside her, giving him a smirk from across the table.

"That's another one for me! Hm, seems like someone was mistaken when he deemed himself 'Checker Champ'?"

"Shut it. Took you long enough to get warmed up."

"I'm the dark horse in the race, you could say."

He smacked the edge of the board with a playful grunt, sending the pieces flying.

She giggled and looked up, surprised to see that it was almost dark. "Holy crap, it's snowing!" she exclaimed, racing to the window. Pulling back the curtains, she saw that a light layer of snow was already clinging to the frozen ground.

"Yeah," Jacob agreed, walking up to observe. "Looks like we are going to get that storm."

"Is that bad?"

He shrugged, glancing into the black night. "Not sure. I would have preferred to not be stuck up here, but…"

Renesmee felt a stab of fear.

"But what?"

"I suppose…" He paused, glancing over at her. "I suppose if we're stuck up here then it's not like someone else could make it up. No coming and going from either way."

"Oh," she breathed, instantly relieved. He had a point.

"I'd better add some logs to the fire."

"Yeah," she agreed, rubbing her arms. "It's getting chilly in here."

Sitting down on the small couch, she watched as he bent over and loaded the fireplace with more logs. The fire grew steadily as he prodded it with a poker from the fireplace.

"Get a good look?" he cheeked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Don't flatter yourself," she quipped, trying to laugh out getting caught staring at Jacob's ass. Although it had been worth every millisecond, she thought with a smirk.

"Right," he replied, walking over to the couch. Renesmee was sprawled out horizontally, and Jacob wasted no time picking up her feet, plopping down, and placing her feet on his lap.

"Cozy," she quipped.

He rolled his eyes and leaned back against he couch. She watched as he closed his eyes and sighed tiredly.

"Do you happen to know how to give a decent massage, Princess?"

"What makes you think I'd want to do that?" she asked, swallowing tightly. The thought of getting to touch Jacob and his muscles made her shiver from the inside out. Would he feel as good under her fingers as he looked?

"So is that a yes or a no to my massage question? Do you give a good one?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "Do I look like I do?"

He laughed, shaking his head at her with narrowed eyes. "You know, you act all prim and prissy all the time, but I bet you're tougher than you look. You'd have to be."

"I've never had to be particularly 'tough', thank you. I don't mind being a lady."

"You mean a Priss."

"No, I mean a lady."

"Come on though. You can't be as uptight as you seem. I've seen you start to let loose a few times the past few days. Loosen the strings, Princess."

Renesmee rolled her eyes. Sometimes she felt as though she had never rolled her at anyone that much.

"Sure, sure. And I bet you're not as much of an asshole as you seem," she shot back, giving him a grin.

Jacob threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the cabin walls. "I couldn't be. No one could be that bad."

"Well at least you're self aware," she laughed.

"I am," he agreed good naturedly. "I've been an ass my whole life. Even when I was little. So I guess I was a 'little ass'. Or at least that's what my sisters told me when they were forced into babysitting me."

"Right…" she added, "And I'm sure you did nothing to earn that lovely little nickname."

"Noooo, never," he chuckled. He rested his hand on top of her sock-clad foot. Her skin tingled slightly where he touched her and it made her heart beat a little faster in her chest. It was new and exciting, yet comforting all the same.

Renesmee giggled, glancing out at the snow.

"It's really coming down out there," she noticed, turning to give him a sudden worried look.

His face matched hers as he watched the snow fall to the ground with rapid pace. There was already an inch or two on the ground, and it showed no signs of stopping. In fact, she was sure that it only fell faster. If they got that much snow, there was no way they would be able to escape from the tiny mountain cabin. If anything, they were trapped.

Like bait.

If James managed to find them there, it would be impossible to escape. The winding roads that had taken them to the cabin would be completely snow covered by now, and the trip home wouldn't be easy.

If we can't get down, then he can't get up. Simple as that, she thought to herself as the wind blew around the house. But he's crazy. He murdered two people in an alley. He's clearly not in good mental health.

Renesmee shivered. "We'll be snowed in by morning, won't we?" she asked finally, needed her fears confirmed.

He nodded, his eyes still fixed on the snow. "We have enough food, though…and water wouldn't be a problem. We can stay up here until we get dug out. It's probably safest, considering…" He trailed off, giving her a small nod.

"Right."

He covered her hand with his large one, making a jolt of warmth shoot up her arm. Jerking her head down to look at it, she watched as he squeezed it reassuringly.

"It'll be fine, Nessie. No one knows we're here, and…even if they did, he wouldn't be able to get here. We'll be fine."

She nodded, turning her attention back to the rapidly falling snow.

"I wish I shared your positive thinking."

Even though Jacob made her feel safe, she couldn't help but shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was bound to go wrong.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	9. Chapter 9

Renesmee found that when she and Jacob stopped teasing and taking shots at each other, they actually got along very well. Beneath his hard exterior, Jacob was actually a bit of a softie; he spoke of his dad and grandfather like they were his idols, and he had nothing but reverence for his deceased mother. He thought the world of Charlie, and looked up to him quite a bit both personally and professionally, which she found endearing and only slightly annoying.

After playing checkers and taking jabs at each other all day, things had settled down when night fell. He had quietly and somewhat bashfully offered to sleep upstairs with her again; she had awkwardly agreed. They settled onto their opposite sides of the bed, careful not to touch, and sleep had found them both almost immediately. They had exchanged slightly shy "good mornings," before spending almost the entire day on the couch again, talking. It was now almost nightfall, and the snow had yet to cease.

"I didn't mean to make Charlie sound like a chump when we first met," she admitted quietly, leaning against the side of the couch.

He nodded, giving her a soft expression. "When you get used to seeing someone a certain way for years and years, I guess it would be hard to see them as someone you'd really respect. But I really do respect Charlie. Everyone down at the precinct does. We're always going to him for answers to our questions and to give his two cents…"

Renesmee thought a moment as Jacob reverently spoke about her grandfather, her stomach turning over. Was Jacob only there to repay a debt to Charlie? Was he there because he felt he owed it to her grandfather?

"Sometimes, just listening to him talk is kinda humbling. He's done so many things, worked on so many cases. That city is really lucky to have him."

"Right," she agreed, only half paying attention. Now that the thought had entered her mind, she was finding it hard to shake off.

"What is it?" he asked, scanning her features.

"Nothing. I mean…would you be here if it wasn't for Charlie?"

Jacob balked, clearly a little insulted. "Of course I would! I mean…my duty is to protect—"

"So you'd do this for just anyone?" she interjected. "Coming up here, going into hiding…you'd do that for any random person you met?"

Jacob's jaw dropped slightly, his brown eyes going a little wide.

"I'm not here to serve a debt to Charlie, if that's what your thinking."

"It crossed my mind."

"Well then uncross it. That's not what this is about."

"Then what's it about if that isn't it? You said you owe everything you know to Charlie, so is this your version of paying him back? Babysitting his granddaughter?"

"N-No, that's not what I said. I…I would do anything to protect and serve an innocent person. I mean…that's what I took an oath to do—"

"So I'm just another bystander on the street to you?"

She was toying with him now, and she knew it. She wanted him to admit that there was something between them – that he wouldn't be up there for just anyone. The looks, the flirting, the fighting…she could feel the sparks flying between them, but she wasn't about to put herself out there like that. Call her old fashioned, but she wanted him to admit it first.

"Of course not! You're special; you're Charlie's – I mean…can't you just be happy I'm here with you, risking my life?"

Renesmee grinned, leaning forward to pat his shoulder.

"Guess it helps to know people in all the right places, eh?"

Jacob growled, shaking his head at her.

They were silent for a moment, Renesmee smirking to herself and Jacob fuming.

"I'd do anything to protect an innocent person who is being hunted like an animal," he said softly. "But it also helps that you're related to the Chief."

"Does it?"

"I told you I would do anything to help Charlie out. I mean…I do owe him. But not like a debt…it's more…it's more like gratitude. You get the difference?"

"Of course I do."

"He really took me under his wing and taught me how to be a good, fair cop. Not corrupt like some of the others. He runs a clean show, which doesn't always happen. Isn't that worth something?"

Jacob gazed at her, his chocolate eyes making her stomach do a slight flip. He held her eyes for a moment longer, before blushing slightly and looking down at his lap.

"It is. And…I don't mean to put him down. I mean, to me, he's just Grandpa, you know? He likes to drink Vitamin R and go fishing. That's just Charlie. I don't picture him catching the bad guys and jumping in front of bullets."

She paused, wondering if she should have brought up Charlie taking a bullet for Jacob when he was a rookie. He didn't seem too pleased to talk about it – not that she could blame him.

Jacob nodded, looking away suddenly. He fidgeted slightly, avoiding her gaze.

"Jacob, that's not your fault. He would have done it for anyone."

"I know," he said quietly, turning his eyes to the fire. "But what if he hadn't? Where would the bullet have hit me? Would I still be sitting here?"

Renesmee swallowed the lump in her throat. "I certainly hope so."

He glanced over at her hopefully, his cheeks growing a little pink.

She laughed, shaking her head at him. "Are you blushing, Jacob Black?"

He looked away, clearly trying to brush off her flirtations. "Maybe. I mean…would you want it to be someone else sitting here?"

She felt her cheeks heat up as his hand reached up and softly touched her foot, which was still resting in his lap. It felt odd, but strangely comforting to be this close to someone she barely knew, but there was something about Jacob that made her feel comfortable. He had a face that was handsome and youthful and made him appear kind and approachable. Even though he acted like an ass at times, she could tell he was only out to help others. His profession clearly stated that. Renesmee swallowed hard, struggling to maintain eye contact with his soft, brown-eyed gaze.

"No," she admitted finally. "I really wouldn't."

He smiled softly, the corner of his lips turning upward only a little bit. They gazed at each other, both blushing slightly.

"I'm glad you're here," she said finally. "I feel safe with you. I want to smack you sometimes, but…I like it."

He nodded, looking away. "I've never spent so much time with prissy girls…but you're all right. I mean…you make me kinda crazy, but I…I kinda like it."

"Really?"

"Really," he replied.

Renesmee bit her lip, noticing how Jake's eyes went straight to her mouth. She fought an internal battle with her heart and her mind, each one screaming at her to do the opposite. Her heart told her lean forward and kiss him like she meant it. Her mind told her to be logical and not mess things up with a silly gamble.

Jacob sighed, inching his body forward slightly.

Or did he? Is it only my imagination? Did I picture him moving forward because I want to? she asked herself. Screw it, she thought. If I go my entire life without kissing a guy as hot as Jacob, I'll want to shoot myself.

A split second later, it happened.

Renesmee pulled her feet off his lap, lunging forward on the couch. Jacob leaned forward at the same moment, the two of them meeting in the middle. Her eyes fell closed, just before their lips touched. They crashed together in a haphazardly perfect way that made her insides tingle and a jolt of pleasure roll over her skin. His mouth was warm and soft and just as inviting as she had imagined. He moved his lips against hers as she realized that she was actually kissing Jacob. How many times had she imagined kissing him in the past few days?

Oh my God oh my God oh my God…

She stayed as still as possible as their mouths connected, not wanting to spoil the feeling of Jacob's lips against hers. She briefly imagined sparks flying between them, wondering if he felt that, too. A tiny squeak slipped as she felt his palm against her cheek, sliding into her hair. Renesmee felt herself lean into his touch as her body sang with relief and joy that they were finally getting somewhere. All the hours of pining after him had finally paid off, and she was getting what she wanted – him. He was her protector, and it was stupid and wrong for her to want him, but she couldn't help herself. Renesmee had vowed to herself before leaving Seattle that she wouldn't do anything stupid with Jacob, and yet, there she was. Giving in.

But it felt good.

Jacob was the dirty little pleasure she would have never even bothered to pine for before Jessica's death. But if anything, she felt like this was right; it was a now or never moment, and she had taken it.

Feeling a renewed sense of power, she let her tongue slide forward and caress his lower lip.

Fuck, he tastes good, she thought.

Jacob shuddered slightly, opening his mouth to mimic her. He deepened the kiss as their tongues met, tasting each other with vigor. She felt herself shiver as he gently pulled her bottom lip with his teeth, sucking it for a moment, before kissing her again. Renesmee leaned forward instinctively, wanting more.

This is wrong, but so, so good…

She was about to straddle his lap, when he suddenly pulled away. Renesmee's eyes flew open, and her chest heaved as she fought to keep the room from spinning.

Jacob stared back at her, his own eyes wide.

"What?" she squeaked, leaning away. Her hand flew to her lips, as a look of sheer terror crossed his features.

"Um…ah…we shouldn't," he replied awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. He looked away, his tan cheeks flushed with color.

"You mean we shouldn't do this…here?" she asked hopefully. Perhaps he wanted to continue their activities somewhere else. Like the bedroom, she thought hopefully. Her body felt like a coiled up spring, ready to explode.

"Well…well, no, I mean…we shouldn't be doing this, Ness."

Renesmee felt her stomach fall to the floor as her hopes were shattered. His response hadn't been one that meant he wanted to take what they had been doing somewhere else. It mean he didn't want to be doing it period.

Her mouth fell open as she felt an entirely different emotion take the place of her lust-ridden passion from only moments ago. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she felt the humiliation of rejection sink in.

"Excuse me?"

He stared at her, her cheeks growing darker by the moment. He was shooting her down.

He doesn't want to be doing this with me, she thought.

Slowly, she stood up from the couch and tried to get herself together as Jacob watched.

"Ness?"

"I think I need to go to bed," she replied shortly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her ears were ringing so loudly, she could barely hear her own voice as she made her way over to the steps. Her hand that gripped the wooden handrail shook as a sick feeling settled into her stomach.

"What's wrong?" he asked, jumping up and rushing to stand in front of the steps where she stood. "Hey, I just said that we shouldn't…well…you don't have to leave."

She gaped at him for a moment, before pushing past him to climb the stairs.

"I…I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry," she snapped, embarrassment still stinging her pride. She had just thrown herself at Jacob, and he had blatantly turned her down. Even if guys weren't that into a girl, weren't they at least physically programmed to indulge her anyway? Renesmee felt repulsive in her own skin as she ignored his calls and walked upstairs.

"Ness?"

"I'm going to bed."

"Do you want me to come up there with you?" he called timidly.

"I think I'll sleep just fine alone, thanks!"

Once she was up in the loft, she cursed the fact that there wasn't a door or something she could slam for good measure. How stupid was she? She felt like a fool for just throwing herself at him like that.

But…it didn't feel stupid at the time. It felt…it felt like he wanted the same thing! she thought to herself. It just didn't make any sense. What had just happened?

After changing, she pulled back the covers of the bed she had been innocently sharing with Jacob and stared at his side. Down below, she could hear him adding logs to the fireplace and settling in on the too-small couch.

Good. I hope he wakes up with the crick in his neck from hell.

Huffing to herself, she pulled up the covers and fumed at the ceiling. Jacob sounded as if he was doing the same downstairs, but she couldn't have cared less about what he was feeling. He had turned her down. After everything! The flirting, the talking, the lingering gazes…

Her mind tortured her after she fell asleep, her dreams filled with nothing but Jacob. Kissing him, touching him, rolling around in a bed with him…and there might have been a dream about him chopping wood shirtless, as well. Needless to say, she awoke even more pissed than she had been the night before.

Renesmee got dressed and marched downstairs with a clenched jaw. Determination had set in, and she knew she couldn't let him see her wounded pride. No, Renesmee Cullen did not pine after guys who didn't want her, even if there was such a thing – which there had never been before. Guys had been falling all over themselves for her since she was fourteen! Who the hell was he to turn me down? she asked herself. It was his loss, and she would make him pay for it. She could hear Jacob up and moving around downstairs, so she was prepared. That is, until she saw him.

Jacob was shirtless, dressed in an ragged pair of gray sweatpants and socks. He was in front of the fireplace, doing pushups as she walked down the steps. When he saw her, he jumped up and gave her an apologetic look that was so mournful, it almost made her stop in her tracks.

No, she chided herself. Be strong. Don't give him the satisfaction.

"Good morning," she said sharply, brushing past him.

Jacob heaved a sigh behind her, following her into the kitchen as she poured herself a cup of coffee. With her back turned to him, she sipped it as she gazed out the window and ignored him.

"Ness, look—"

"Renesmee," she corrected him, turning around to face him. "My name is Renesmee."

She could practically hear him grinding his teeth.

"Renesmee," he started over, stepping into the kitchen. "Look, I'm sorry about last night—"

"Nothing to be sorry about," she snapped, feeling her cheeks grow hot. "I threw myself at you, and you…well, whatever. Can we just forget about it?"

"Well, I kinda wanted to talk about it—"

"There's nothing to talk about. We're stuck up here in this stupid cabin and…and we're bound to get a little stir crazy or whatever. It didn't mean anything. We shouldn't look too much into it, okay?"

He stared at her, looking somewhat hurt. Satisfaction sizzled through her veins as she realized he actually did want to talk about it with her. But too bad! He had humiliated her, and she wasn't going to listen to anything he had to say. She knew she was being immature, but her pride had been momentously wounded, and she just didn't care what he felt at the moment. He can go to hell, she thought.

"Sure, fine," he agreed slowly, jamming his hands into the pockets of his sweats. "I'm gonna…go get dressed."

"Yes, you should," she replied coldly, brushing past him into the living room. She plopped down on the couch and stared out the window at the snow. It was deep and drifting from all the wind whipping around the corners of the cabin. There was no telling how long they would be trapped up there.

She felt sick.

She knew this was no way to handle Jacob, but she didn't know what else to do. No guy had ever had the nerve to turn her down before. Guys were usually thrilled to have her attention.

So why did he think this was such a bad idea?


	10. Chapter 10

The day passed slowly.

Renesmee was bored out of her mind, and Jacob clearly was, too. There was no TV, no cell phone service, and the radio barely got reception. They weren't speaking, and they were completely trapped together in the tiny house, with no chance for escape. By the time evening rolled around again, they were both on edge from a day of silence. Renesmee had stayed on the couch most of the day, pretending to nap or listen to the fuzzy radio. Jacob had gone outside several times to dig the car out of the snow and to bring in more firewood. They had exchanged few words for the past twelve hours, and it was beginning to wear on her.

After loading the fireplace again for the fifth time that day, Jacob turned to look at her over his shoulder.

"So that's it, then?"

Renesmee tried to look like she couldn't give a shit. "That's it what?"

He sighed, his shoulders slumping before he stood up. Sitting in the chair across from the couch, he watched her avoid his gaze as she stared at the fire.

"So you're not speaking to me?"

"I never said that."

"Well, you're not. Speaking to me, that is."

"What is there to say?"

He sighed, rubbing his hands together.

"Ness, I—"

"Renesmee."

He growled, pressing his lips together in frustration. She was wearing him out with her snotty behavior, that much was clear. She smiled to herself on the inside and clenched her teeth, determined to make him pay for wounding her ego.

"Can we please just talk about this?"

"Again, about what?"

"That you…that we… Argh, that we kissed!"

"And you said it wasn't a good idea. Yes, I was there, Jacob. What do you want to discuss exactly?"

He clenched his jaw as he stared at her, visibly trying to keep his composure without exploding.

"I just think that…that we shouldn't do that. It's not…it's not exactly in my job description."

"What isn't?"

"To keep you entertained. That's not what I signed up for—"

"Oh, so you think I only kissed you to entertain myself?"

"Am I wrong?"

"I can't even believe you would think that!"

"Can you blame me? What would a girl like you—"

"A girl like what?"

"Like you. You know, rich daddy, good family… You know! What would you possibly see in me?"

Renesmee was fuming. He thought she was using him because she was bored.

"Right, so how dare the Ice Princess have feelings? Actual feelings for you? Thanks a lot for letting me know you think I'm a shallow little jerk, Jacob. Thanks."

"That's not what I said. I…So you kissed me because you wanted to?"

"Why the hell else would I?"

"Oh, I don't know, because you're a bored little rich girl with nothing better to do?"

Renesmee jumped up from the couch, fuming. She wanted to yank her hair out, she was so completely frustrated with Jacob. How he could attract her one moment, and then make her want to bang her head against the wall the next moment completely boggled her.

"You're an ass, Jacob Black."

"And you are a snob, Renesmee Cullen," he shot back.

She growled to herself and stood up, stomping to the kitchen. She needed to get away from him before she walked over to him and jacked him in the face. Stomping into the kitchen, she ignored Jacob's curious looks as she began slamming things around to give her anger an outlet.

"Will you just talk to me? Stop being such a Princess and let's just talk about what happened, will ya?"

"Why would I want to discuss it?" she yelled over the counter.

Jacob shrugged and rolled his eyes at her, igniting her even further.

"I hate this place, I hate being pent up here, and I especially hate being here with you!" she fumed, busying herself with putting away the clean dishes. Opening up the cabinet above the sink, she spied a familiar looking bottle and had an idea.

"What are you doing now?" he groaned.

She looked over her shoulder at him, scowling as she rifled through the liquor cabinet.

"Looking for something to entertain myself with."

"I don't think you'll find anything in there," he grumbled, plopping down on the couch.

She glared at him again, before pulling out a bottle. Blowing off the dust, she frowned. "I won't have to deal with you if I'm three sheets to the wind. Hell, you might even disappear completely if I'm drunk."

"Right," he said sarcastically. "Fine. Go ahead and get shit faced, and see where it gets you."

"Ulgh, scotch. Well…at least it's hard alcohol. Do we have any mixers?"

He raised one eyebrow at her. "Where do you think you are? The Hiatt? There's a can of Coke somewhere in the back of the fridge. Have fun with that," he said, his tone short.

"Fine, then. Scotch and Coke it is."

He watched her stomp into the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets.

"Fuck it," she muttered, opening up the bottle. Taking a long swig, she barely got the spicy liquid down her throat, before coughing and sputtering.

"Ulgh…"

"What's the matter? Never had a big girl drink before?" Jacob asked, sauntering into the kitchen.

"Screw you. I've had just about everything there is to have," she snapped, taking another swig. She made a face, wincing as the scotch slid down her throat.

"I'm sure you haven't had everything," he said suggestively.

Renesmee made a face as he snickered. "You're pathetic, you know that?"

"Just trying to lighten the mood, Princess."

"Would you stop that? You know I hate it when you do that," she grumbled, before taking another long swig.

He watched her choke down the scotch, obviously amused. Renesmee didn't care; anything was better than fighting with him, and she was hoping that scotch would help her get over the embarrassment of throwing herself at him. Jacob grunted something under his breath as he walked back to the couch, obviously annoyed. She smiled to herself as she chased another long swig down with the nearly flat Coke. Sliding down the cabinets, she settled onto the cold kitchen floor as she continued to drink. This way, she didn't even have to look at Jacob, and the alcohol would help her numb her humiliation away, she thought.

She lost track of the time after that. The more scotch she consumed, the better – or more bearable – it tasted, and she was able to finally let her high strung body relax. It felt good after the past week; her body felt like a coil that had sprung and had finally gotten some relief from its pent up position.

Yes, this definitely felt better.

She awoke with a start. Sitting up in bed, she groaned and immediately lay back down in the bed and hugged a pillow to her chest. Her head was pounding, and the bed felt like it was nailed to a moving Tilt-A-Whirl. The scotch swirled in her stomach, making her want to die.

"Ulgh," she groaned, feeling her body begin to sweat. Of all the hangovers she had experienced over the years, this had to be the absolute worst one yet. She had never felt so positively sick from drinking in her life.

Wait a minute…how did I get into bed?

She glanced down, realizing she was basically in the same clothes from the night before. Her shoes had been taken off, along with her jeans. A pair of her loose fitting pajama bottoms had replaced those, yet she still had on her bra and top from the day before. Running her hand through her hair, she tried to remember what had happened the night before.

How on Earth did I get up here?

Another wave of nausea hit her; she wasn't sure if it was from the booze or the thought that Jacob had brought her up here and partially changed her. Hurriedly, she pulled her pants away from her body and was relieved to see that her underwear wasn't anything alarmingly "grannyish" or – on the other hand – something revealing as a thong.

Whew. Plain pink and butt-covering. Ulgh. He still saw me passed out in my underwear. Good job, Renesmee. Oh God…

Jumping up, she held her stomach as she ran to the trash can in the corner of the room and emptied the contents of her stomach.

"Scotch…never again," she grumbled.

"Good morning, sunshine," Jacob called loudly from the kitchen as she limped downstairs several minutes later.

Renesmee growled in response, walking over to the counter, where she plopped down.

"Feel like some bacon? Maybe some greasy deer sausage?" he joked, holding up a link of meat on his spatula.

Renesmee felt her stomach turn in protest as the smell of the cooking sausage hit her nose.

"Did you change me?"

Jacob stopped laughing, her question sobering him from his giggles. "Yeah, I, uh…took off your shoes and jeans. I put those pink pants on you…I didn't look."

"Didn't say you did…"

"Well…it's just, girls…um…I had sisters, if that makes you feel any better. They, uh…used to go out and come home wasted when I was a teenager. Taken care of my share of drunk girls. But I really didn't look," he babbled.

She felt herself blush.

"I believe you…I just…don't remember…"

"I can see why. You put back almost a quarter of that scotch. And that's not even good scotch," he laughed to himself, flipping a piece of the deer meat.

Renesmee felt her stomach turn again as she tried not to puke at the sight of it. "What happened?"

"Oh…some stuff. Things…You know," he teased, avoiding her eyes.

Renesmee huffed in anger, wanting to reach across the counter and smack him. She didn't doubt that he was a gentleman; the thought of him taking advantage of her never crossed her mind. However, she was more irritated that he wouldn't tell her what had happened after she blacked out.

"You shouldn't drink that much, though. Not good for you."

"I don't need a lecture, thank you. I'm a big girl, and I can…I…I can…" She winced as another wave of nausea washed over her, making her turn a little green.

Jacob watched with raised eyebrows as she covered her mouth and ran to the bathroom down the hall.

Renesmee sat on the couch, glaring into space. After spending the entire morning and early afternoon hung over as all hell, she was finally starting to feel like herself again. And she was starting to remember why she was so pissed at Jacob.

I've had guys trip over themselves to date me. No, not just date me. To talk to me! And who does he think he is, anyway? A cop? Psh, I can do better. Much better. I have.

However, nothing she mentally told herself made Jacob rejecting her any easier.

It still stung.

"So, are you talking to me yet?" he finally asked that evening. He had spent the day at the kitchen table, picking at a piece of wood with his pocketknife. She had ignored him, spending the day napping and watching the fire from the couch.

"What do you think?" she snapped.

Jacob sighed, setting the piece of wood down on the table. He walked over into the living area and sat on the chair across from her.

"Do you want to tell me why you're so pissed at me? All I did was…"

"Go on," she urged. "Let's hear your side of things. You flirt with me constantly, hitting on me—"

"Wait wait…hit on you? I did not hit on you!"

Her jaw dropped open.

"How self involved are you? You think everyone loves you just because of your last name. Get over yourself!"

"I was not imagining that! You can deny it all you want, but I'm a girl who knows when a guy is flirting! I did not imagine the…the looks, and the touches, and the…Whatever. You were so flirting!"

"You rich girls are all the same. Completely self involved, ignorant, and bat-shit crazy," he growled, jumping up from the chair in disgust. He grabbed handfuls of his hair in frustration as Renesmee bolted for the steps.

"Say what you want Jacob, but we both know the truth. I hate this place!"

"Yeah, whatever. You think staying here with you is a picnic?"

Renesmee was fuming. She was being a brat; she knew it. But she had simply had enough, and she couldn't stand to be cooped up in that cabin with Jacob Black any longer. She marched upstairs, haphazardly packed her things, and threw on her coat and boots.

She was leaving.

"What are you doing? Ness? Ness!" he bellowed, jumping up from the couch.

She ignored him, storming past him towards the door. He lunged after her, yanking her bag to the floor.

"You can't possibly go out there. You'll never make it! Besides, what will I tell Charlie?"

"Tell him that you're a pig-headed, lying, asshole cop, who thinks he runs the world!"

"I am not! Renesmee, come on! Where are you going? What if you get hurt? I—"

"That's not really my problem now, is it?"

"Ness, just wait. Let's talk about this."

"I've had just about enough of this! Being cooped up in this cabin, you…you…you make me crazy! I'll go insane if I have to stay here one more second with you in this hellhole! I never asked for this!" she yelled, pulling on her gloves.

"And you think I did?"

"Well, one thing is for sure. I don't need this. I never did. You can just go screw yourself, Jacob!" she yelled, grabbing her bag.

"You're not leaving. I won't let you!" he argued, stepping in front of the door.

"Get out of my way!"

"You're bluffing," he replied calmly. "Look, just stay. I'll…I'll do whatever you want me to, all right? Just stay here."

"Great! A pity fuck! Thanks, but no thanks. Not what I had in mind!"

He stopped her, putting his hand on the door to keep it shut. She looked up at him with slightly widened eyes, surprised at his actions. Jacob roughly grabbed her shoulders with both hands, making her eyes go wide in protest. Before she could insult him again, he took a deep breath and firmly but gently pulled her against him. His hand enveloped her cheek, drawing her to him in a hard yet passionate kiss. Renesmee felt her body go rigid with shock as his warm lips pressed against hers with urgency. Her heart began to pound in her ears as he kissed her, her arms falling slack against her side. Warm sparks of electricity seemed to flow between them as they kissed, igniting something inside her for the second time.

Suddenly, she realized what she was doing - what she was letting him do.

She would not permit it; besides, turnabout was fair play. With a violent shove, she send Jacob's tall form stumbling away from her. She had obviously caught him off guard as he fought to stay on both feet, his jaw slackened and his brown eyes wide.

"Wow," he muttered under his breath, staring at her.

"Get away from me," she hissed angrily. "That wasn't what I had in mind either."

Jacob's face went serious again as he straightened up and faced her in the doorway. It was clear to her that he wanted to continue their fight. "What did you have in mind, then? Enlighten me."

"I…I've never…you should be happy that a girl like me would hit on you. No one tells me no. I could have anyone I want!"

"I could, too, Princess. What makes you so special?" he asked, leaning over her. He propped his arm on the door above her again, making her back against it to avoid touching him.

"Tell me," he prodded, the knowing, cocky look she hated gracing his features again.

Renesmee opened her mouth to speak, her cheeks pink with emotion as she tried to make her mouth form words. Try as she might, they were hard to even think of, much less speak with Jacob's arm above her, holding the door shut. Gritting her teeth, she fumed at him again.

"Nothing, apparently."

She shoved him away, opening the door with a flourish. She was still reeling from their kiss, unable to believe he had the audacity to do that to her! And after pushing her away! Renesmee didn't know what to think. Had he kissed her just to get her to stay? Was it a ploy? The icy wind hit her cheeks, making the tears on her face sting. Coughing in the cold, she slammed the door shut and made her way to the large truck in the driveway. Braving the wind, she shoved her bag inside and climbed in, slamming the door behind her.

Jacob Black could just go to hell.

Turning the key, the engine roared to life. Snow swirled around in the vehicle in the icy wind, but she didn't care. She had to get out of there and away from him before she went crazy. Renesmee stepped on the gas and started down the steep, winding snowy drive toward town.

"Gosh," she said to herself, squinting through the snow. It was nearly impossible to see through the white flakes as they blew in front of her, blocking her vision.

"Keep it under twenty. You'll be fine," she told herself calmly.

Her stomach turned at the sight of the snowy road; it was almost impossible to tell where the road was. The tires fought their way down the driveway – or what she thought was the driveway. There was so much snow on the ground, she could barely see a thing.

"Shit," she muttered, slamming her foot on the brakes. Was the road to the left or right? She couldn't remember. Panicking, she pushed the brakes down harder and felt the tires start to slide.

"Oh, God…no…you're supposed to have all wheel drive!" she whined, turning the wheel frantically.

Instead, the back end of the SUV slid around, turning her sideways on the snowy road. Renesmee had never driven in this much snow before, so she had no idea what to do now besides hold on. Desperate, she put it in reverse and tried backing up to get back on track. No such luck.

The tires spun wildly, trapping her sideways on the hill. She put it in reverse and tried, and then put it into drive and tried.

Nothing.

All she heard was the tires as they fought and spun in the icy snow beneath her. There was no avoiding it.

She was stuck. She was stuck miles from town, too. They had driven for at least twenty minutes after leaving it.

"Shit!" she repeated. "No, no…"

Renesmee looked around in desperation, wondering how far she was from the cabin. She couldn't have gotten that far down the road, right? She turned back around, squinting through the snow as it blew in the headlights of the SUV.

What is that? she wondered, squinting harder. Something was up ahead in the road, but she couldn't make out what it was. Suddenly, it moved.

It was a person.

Fear shot through her as she realized it was someone in a large coat a mere twenty feet away, and he was walking closer. Even through the dark and the snow, she recognized what little she saw.

James.


	11. Chapter 11

Jacob stood staring at the door for a good minute after Renesmee slammed it in his face. He heard the SUV they had driven up to the cabin roar to life, before leaving the driveway. He glanced worriedly out the window, feeling more irritated than anything. How could she possibly think that leaving was a good plan? She would never get far. The steep, winding driveway that led up to the cabin hadn't been plowed, and there had to be a solid two feet of show to the ground.

"She'll come back. Princess will see how much snow is on that hill….she'll be riiight back," he told himself, walking over to the kitchen counter. The minutes ticked by, and nothing. He kept peering out at the driveway, hoping to see the lights of the car, but saw nothing.

He knew he shouldn't have blown up like that; his temper was constantly getting the better of him, and from the looks of things, Renesmee had quite the temper, too. Actually, she was quite a brat compared to most girls he knew. Most of the girls he dated were low key, not too girly, and pretty laid back. Normally, his type was the exact opposite of Renesmee; he usually saw girls like her and high-tailed it in the other direction.

Yeah, but none of those other girls get you riled up like she does, he thought to himself with a smirk.

It was true... He was more attracted to Renesmee than he should be, but he couldn't help himself. Her girly clothes, long hair, and silly makeup routine every morning annoyed the crap out of him…however, it intrigued him, as well. Renesmee looked amazing in her rich-girl clothes and shimmery lip gloss and all that other crap. But…she also looked attractive when she shuffled down for breakfast each morning and demanded coffee.

Truth be told, she was gorgeous any way he saw her. And she also had him wrapped around her finger.

He wasn't sure if the kiss they shared on the couch had been her move or his. It was all a blur when he thought about it – a wonderful, unbelievable blur. He had thought about what it would be like to kiss her since he'd first laid eyes on her. However, she was the Chief's granddaughter – and also a Cullen. To say that he never thought the opportunity would exactly present itself was an understatement.

Girls like her didn't belong with guys like him.

But he couldn't help it. For a fleeting moment, he had given in and enjoyed kissing her, tasting her, touching her…a shiver rolled down his spine as he thought about it.

So why had he pushed her away and made her stop?

Peering out the window of the door, he watched as the breeze blew a mist of snow out of the branches around the house. He knew the answer to his own question, but he didn't want to hear it out loud.

He didn't feel like he was good enough.

Sure, he could have given in and kissed her back – maybe gone even further. But what after that? He had no idea how long they would be trapped up on the mountain, and he didn't want to risk his head getting all clouded up with thoughts of her. A girl like Renesmee would certainly make it hard to think – not that it already hadn't. He spent a great portion of his time thinking about her, watching her, obsessing over her.

Then there was also Charlie. He was supposed to be protecting her. The Chief had given him the responsibility of taking care of his granddaughter. He had been given a job to do, and he knew he had to do it. He couldn't let Charlie down.

And what if it had gone further? Would it have been just a fling for her? He couldn't imagine Renesmee going home and proudly announcing to her father that she was dating a lowly cop. People like her married guys who came from other rich families and who were doctors or lawyers. Certainly not cops from the local reservation.

Sighing, he turned around and leaned on the nearby kitchen counter, spying her empty glass from the night before. He'd known as soon as he'd halted their kiss that she would be pissed; he just hadn't known how upset he was going to make her.

(The Night Before)

Jacob stood up, noticing that it was unusually quiet in the kitchen where Renesmee was. She had been sitting on the floor behind the island, out of view with her can of Coke and bottle of Scotch. The open layout of the small cabin didn't work very well when you were trying to avoid someone; he was giving her a little bit of space in hopes that she would cool down. Every few minutes, he would hear the clinking noise of the bottle as she picked it up, took a sip, and set it back on the tile floor.

She's being awfully quiet, he thought, making his way into the kitchen.

"Oh great," he muttered, spying her. She was slumped over against the cabinets, an empty bottle of scotch in her hand. He would have been alarmed, but he knew for a fact that there was only about a quarter of the bottle left. She had consumed a lot, but no a dangerous amount. Just enough to make her pass out cold.

"Ness?" he asked, poking her with his foot.

She said nothing, her eyes shut and her breathing steady.

"You awake?" he asked, leaning down. He gently poked her arm, getting no response other than a faint little grunt.

"Well, you're alive, at least. Come on, let's get you to bed," he groaned, scooping her up. He carried her across the living room and up the stairs to the loft, gently placing her on the bed.

Renesmee groaned, but didn't move.

"Why the whole bottle? Am I really that bad that you had to drink all that nasty stuff?" he grumbled at her still form. He frowned down at her jeans, sighing. He didn't want to leave her in her tight pants; they didn't look comfortable in the least.

Walking over to her bag, he picked up a pair of bright pink sweatpants that looked comfortable. He pulled off her shoes and socks, cringing as he unbuttoned her jeans.

Don't be a creep, he told himself. You've seen girls in their underwear before. Don't look.

He pulled them down, doing his best to keep his eyes away from her sleeping form. He placed the sweatpants on her the best he could, avoiding touching anything he felt was off limits. When she was finally changed, he pulled back the covers and slipped her inside, tucking her in securely. He stood up with ever intention to leave, but for some reason…he couldn't. Heaving a sigh, he sat down on the bed beside her and watched her sleep.

"I wish you hadn't done that. You're gonna be hurting tomorrow, Ness", he said softly, brushing a piece of hair off her face.

Renesmee stirred, leaning into his palm. He sucked in a short breath at the contact, watching his hand as it touched her cheek. She was so warm and soft and utterly gorgeous, even the passed out hot mess that she currently was.

"Don't go," she mumbled, rolling onto her side.

"I'm not. Are you gonna live?"

"Oooooh yeah," she slurred, giving him a little laugh.

He could tell she was almost completely out, but he didn't want to leave her just yet.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Renesmee. I didn't mean to," he whispered.

"Why don't you like me?" she slurred sleepily.

He sighed, realizing she was probably so drunk, she wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

"Fuck it," he muttered. "I like you. I like you a lot. You make me crazy, but…you're great to talk to, and you make me laugh, and…you're really great. But you shouldn't get mixed up with a guy like me, Ness."

She smiled drunkenly, inhaling a deep breath.

"I like you, Jacob. I like you, too."

He nodded, glancing out the nearby window as it snowed even harder.

"I have to be on my A-game to protect you. I know I barely know you, but…I just feel so connected with you. I've never felt this way about a girl before – especially not someone I've known for just a few days. But you're amazing . You make me crazy, but I need a little of that in my life. I could get used to having you around," he admitted.

He looked down at Renesmee, a little embarrassed to have admitted all of that to her.

"Renesmee?" He reached down, shaking her gently. "Did you hear me?"

A soft snore pierced the air.

Jacob's shoulders slumped as he hung his head. She had passed out cold before hearing a word of his confession.

"You're a piece of work. You know that?" he asked. "But for some reason…I'm still crazy about you."

He came back to reality, sighing heavily. He wanted more than anything to give her what she wanted; it was, after all, what he wanted, as well. But he had to be realistic. Girls like her did not end up with guys like him.

"Maybe if I say it enough, I'll believe it," he muttered, glancing out the kitchen window. The driveway was still empty, with no sign of Renesmee. He knew she couldn't have gotten far; the snow was too deep to really go anywhere. He assumed she was in a ditch up the road, and he would have to go get her and dig the SUV out in the morning.

"Ridiculous woman," he growled, stomping over to the laundry room. He slipped into his thick snow pants, pulled on his boots, and found a hat and gloves. Before slipping on his coat, he added his gun belt, just in case, before walking out the door.

He made his way down the snow-packed drive, following the path the tires had made just minutes before. The wind violently whipped around him, making him shiver slightly as he made his way down the hill.

Then, he heard it.

A piercing scream echoed through the woods. He stopped in his tracks, his breath leaving his chest as he stood still, listening. Another scream ripped through the air, making him jump into a run.

"No…no…" he chanted to himself as he ran, his heart thumping in his ears. He slipped and slid thought the snowy land, twisting and turning down the hill. At each turn, his heart would anticipate what he would see and jump into his throat, making it harder and harder to breathe. But still nothing... Where could she be?

He came around another bend, sliding to a halt when he saw the SUV in the moonlight. It was sideways on the road, clearly stuck in the snow. A hooded figure was on the side, reaching through a jagged hole in the glass. Renesmee's scream echoed through the small opening, making Jacob's heart turn to ice.

He watched as the figure raised the bottom of a gun, cracking it against one of the side windows. It shattered as another scream rang out through the air.

"Drop the gun!" he bellowed, pulling out his own. "Police! Drop the gun Now!"

The hooded figure turned and spied him, taking aim with his own weapon. Jacob took a running leap behind a tree that stood beside the road, jumping as a gun went off.

Bang!

It hit the tree and echoed in the quiet forest, making his blood run cold.

"Jacob! It's James! Oh God…Jake!"

He heard Renesmee's desperate cries as he tried to get a game plan together. It was James, and he had a gun. Renesmee's time was limited.

"Fuck," he growled to himself, gripping the gun in his hand.

He lunged out from behind the tree, taking his shot. He knew Renesmee was still in the car, and that was enough. The shot rang out in the woods, as he hoped he had made his target. He heard James grunt as the bullet hit him somewhere. Jacob leaned out again, watching to see if it had wounded him badly enough. He took another shot, before running out from behind his cover toward the SUV.

He had to make sure she was okay.

Suddenly, another gun shot sounded. He felt something hit his bicep, making him grit his teeth and groan in pain. As he ran, he could see enough in the moonlight as James took off into the trees. By the time Jacob made it to the vehicle, the other man was long gone.

"Jacob!" Renesmee gasped, flinging the door open. She leaped out of the car, tackling him in a tight hug.

"Ow!" he protested, holding out his wounded arm.

Renesmee gasped, grabbing it and pulling it into the dim light of the car.

"You're bleeding!" she gasped.

"Ow ow ow…I know," he groaned, holding up his arm. "Come on, we have to get out of here. We'll look at this later. Let's go," he urged, jumping into the car. Renesmee followed, her face pale and drawn.

Two of the side windows had been busted open, and he knew they were both lucky to be alive. He settled into the driver's seat, doing his best to unlodge the stuck car from the deep snow.

"It's stuck. I couldn't…it won't go!" she wailed, looking around the exterior.

He groaned in pain, moving the gear shift again as he put it in reverse, finally able to get them out of the rut she had been stuck in. After a few tries, they were back on their way up the hill toward the cabin.

"We've got to get you inside," she said, looking at his coat. "He shot you! Argh, I want to kill him!"

"That makes two of us," Jacob said through clenched teeth. The gunshot wound on his arm was stinging like crazy; it felt like he had been stung by about a hundred bees, all in the same place on his arm. Blood seeped out of the wound, making his whole arm wet as a reminder that he had almost been killed. Glancing at Renesmee in the passenger seat, he realized they had both almost been killed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, wiping away her tears. "I could have…you…I'm just so sorry, Jacob."

"It's all right. We're both alive. Just…just let's get back inside."

As they made it back to the cabin, another coat of snow began to fall steadily to the ground. Jacob groaned as they walked inside, cursing the snow under his breath.

"Now I won't be able to track him and see where he's hiding. Where could he be?" he wondered, making his way to the kitchen table.

Renesmee helped him out of his coat, wincing as she saw the blood from his wound.

"Oh gross…oh…"

"You not good with blood?" he asked, wincing slightly.

He peeled off his long t-shirt, holding up his arm to inspect the wound. For a moment, he flashed back on the time the Charlie had been shot while protecting Jacob from the bullet meant for him. The day of the standoff was something he certainly didn't want to repeat. His upper bicep was way too close to his head for comfort. And yet, as he watched Renesmee hurry to grab a few towels to help him clean up, he found himself wondering if he would do it again.

A sobering thought crossed his mind; if it was Renesmee in danger again, then he would without a doubt.

"I…I don't know what to do, the bullet…" she babbled, pacing in front of him.

He glanced down at his arm, trying to think straight as the pain radiated through his body. He expected a bullet wound to just plain hurt; this stung.

"The bullet is still in there. We've got to get it out; otherwise, I'll keep bleeding," he said. "There's a first aid kit in the bathroom and a pair of tweezers we use for fishing line. Go get that, some matches, and rubbing alcohol. You're going to have to remove the bullet."

Renesmee's face turned pale, but she nodded and hurried off. After collecting all the items she needed, he rifled through the first aid kit and was quite relieved; it had everything they would need.

"Light a match. You're going to have to sterilize those," he said, trying not to let his voice shake.

She looked at the tweezers in her hand with wide eyes. "I'm really going to get that thing out of there?'

"Unless you want me to leave it. I could bleed more, and it could get infected. We have to get it out. Soon."

"I can't…oh God," Renesmee muttered, swallowing.

It was nearly an hour later, and she was fishing around in his arm using the newly disinfected tweezers. Jacob was wincing through the stabbing pain that was radiating up his arm as he gritted his teeth and bit the washcloth in his hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm so sorry…" she babbled, wincing as she jammed the tweezers farther into his arm.

Jacob sucked in a sharp breath, trying to maintain his manliness and not show that he was in extreme pain.

"It's all right…just glad…glad you're safe," he managed to spit out as he grinded his teeth.

She looked at him and winced, dabbing the wound on his arm with a piece of gauze.

"Jacob…I just want to say that…everything that's happened is my fault. I shouldn't have been at that club and…and…and I shouldn't have gotten Jessica into that mess…" she wailed, wiping her eyes.

He rolled his eyes and felt like a jackass for yelling at her in the first place.

"I'm…I'm sorry I yelled at you. You're…you're not at fault for this."

"Yeah, but I deserved to be yelled at. I was being stupid and…and just…a princess."

"Well, I know, but…" He trailed off, giving her a sympathetic look.

"You're the first person to tell me…"—she stopped, wiping her eyes on her shirt—"that I'm a brat and that I'm awful and close minded and…"

"It's okay…don't worry about it. You're here now, and I'm going to call the station first thing in the morning and we'll be fine. I have my gun and plenty of bullets. We'll be safe tonight."

"Really?" she sniffed.

"Really. It could…Renesmee, things could have gone so much worse tonight. But they didn't. We're both here, and we're alive, and…I think we should just put all this other crap behind us. I'm an asshole, and you're a spoiled brat. Can we just move past that?"

She looked a little surprised at first, but then she smiled through her bleary eyes and nodded. "Definitely."

"Okay," he said softly, gazing over at her. Even with teary eyes, flushed skin, and messy hair, she looked amazing.

She wiped her eyes again and sniffed, returning to her work of removing the bullet from his arm.

Suddenly, she jumped. "Oh! I think I got it."

"Hallelujah, now just get the fucker out," he cussed, biting his washcloth again.

She nodded, her face turning slightly green, before she pulled the tiny bullet out and dropped it in the bowl on the table.

"Good God…that thing felt like the Titanic…it looks like a flea," he groaned, wincing only slightly as she dabbed the wound again.

"It's a bullet, Jacob…it's going to hurt."

"Yeah, but…oh…all right, now…now we have to stitch it up."

"What!"


	12. Chapter 12

Half an hour later, Jacob was still sitting at the table, completely stitched up. The process of teaching Renesmee how to do decent stitches had been a complete fiasco. She had stomped away twice, been reduced to panicky tears, and had apologized about a thousand times in the process.

"So we know to not depend on you for medical help I guess?" he joked once she was done.

Renesmee let out a relieved, shaky sigh as she gave him a wide-eyed look.

"I'm never doing that again."

"You're right. I'm never taking a bullet for you again either."

"Jake…" she whined, picking up the rest of the bloody gauze. She cleaned the mess off the table, her jaw set with determination. "I did it, it's over….there," she added.

He watched with amazement as Renesmee stood up, opened the back door, and loaded up her arms with firewood. She brought it inside, dropping it in front of the fireplace, before tossing a few new logs into the fire. She brushed off her hands and walked over to the couch to sit next to him.

Jacob was awestruck. "I think that's the sexiest thing I've ever seen you do, Princess."

Renesmee blushed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears. "I'm not useless," she said quietly, a slight pink color tinting her cheeks. "Does it hurt?"

He snorted bitterly, glancing at his bandaged arm. He was sitting on the couch without a shirt, only because it hurt too much to try to put his arm through one.

Renesmee glanced his way, her eyes lingering slightly on his half naked body.

"It hurts, yeah."

"I'm sorry we don't have much for pain," she lamented, giving him an apologetic look. She fiddled with her hands in her lap as she chewed on her lip. The fire crackled in front of them, the flames dancing merrily in the fireplace.

"Well, normally I would just take a drink…if only we had some scotch," he joked, looking over at her. "Oh wait, we're out," he finished sarcastically.

"Would it help if I said I'm never drinking scotch again?"

"I think if scotch had legs and saw you coming, it would run away screaming."

"Oh, screw you," she muttered, flopping back against the couch.

"Oh, don't get your panties all twisted up, Princess. I'm just teasing you."

"You've had no effect on my panties, Jacob. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Jacobs sighed, feeling flustered. How could she be so wonderful and beautiful one moment, and then do or say something the next that made him so crazy? "Why are you such a bitch to me?"

"Excuse you?"

"I'm not afraid to call it like it is, Ness."

"Really? Well, neither am I! Guess what, Jacob? You're an asshole."

They stared at each other for a moment after their outbursts, both of them wide eyed and a bit slack-jawed. Renesmee bit her lip, watching as Jacob pressed his together. Both of them seemed to regret their harsh words, but neither could find a way to say it.

"Do you want some Tylenol? I have some here," she offered softly, reaching for the bottle on the table.

He shrugged, nodding slightly.

"It won't help much, but…it might numb the pain a little tiny bit."

"Sure," he said gruffly, his cheeks turning pink. He felt stupid for calling her such a name when she was actually being nice. He hadn't thought she'd have ever done something so nice for him after he'd turned her away. In all honestly, Jacob didn't think she would ever forgive him for that. But now, as she gently wrapped the gauze around his arm, he wasn't so sure.

Grabbing a small handful of the medicine, he shoveled them down, ignoring Renesmee's wide eyes.

"You shouldn't have taken so many!"

"I got shot in the arm. I think I'm allowed to attempt a Tylenol overdose!"

"Whatever," she laughed, reaching for the medical tape. "Will this work?"

"Yeah. I heal pretty quick, so…"

He trailed off, watching as Renesmee leaned closer. Her clean, fresh scent wafted toward him as she moved even closer, ducking to the side to make sure she had secured the tape around his arm properly. He unconsciously held his breath as he observed her as she worked. She was so close to him that he could see the light dusting of freckles placed sporadically across the bridge of her nose and smell the faint traces that were left of her perfume.

She's gorgeous, he thought to himself, biting his lip. Should I just be honest and tell her how I feel? Or do I shut up and focus on the case? I can't be distracted right now…

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Renesmee's voice cut through his thoughts. He jumped slightly, glancing down at her as she leaned over and gently cut the remaining gauze off his arm. Honestly, the stinging of the bullet and his fresh stitches barely registered; all he could think about was how close Renesmee was and how her mouth was begging for his to be on it.

"What?"

"You looked…like you were in pain. Or…or is that how you look when you get a deep thought?" she cheeked, cocking a coppery eyebrow at him.

He smirked back at her, biting his tongue.

"Were you about to say something Jacob?" she asked knowingly.

He chuckled, realizing she knew that a sarcastic comment was usually on the tip of his tongue, just waiting for him to use it. "No, not one bit," he said.

His eyes lingered on the flannel shirt she was wearing in lieu of her own clothes. It was oversized and faded after one too many washes, and she had it rolled up to her elbows and only half buttoned. Her copper hair was up in a messy bun, a few curly tendrils falling out and hanging against the alabaster skin of her neck. He sighed and looked away, trying to calm himself down. Something about Renesmee Cullen just got him so wired.

We fight like cats and dogs. So why the fuck does she have to look so sexy?

"You're getting good at this kinda stuff. Maybe you aren't the princess I thought you were."

She snorted. "I have been outside before, Jake. I've even been camping before."

"Girls Scout camp doesn't count," he snickered.

She gently grabbed his arm, holding it still as she continued her work. "How did you know that's what I was going to say?"

"Just a guess," he chuckled. "But really…you were brave out there. Most women would be curled up in a ball right now, crying in the corner. You're a trooper, Ness."

She smirked to herself. "Well, I didn't have much time for panicking. I'm sure that part is coming later. You might find me doing that later when this all sinks in."

"You all right, though? With all of this? I know it's, ah…a little much."

Renesmee paused, surveying her work. "I almost died tonight. So did you. It's a lot to take in."

"Yeah. I know."

"We're still here, though. Even if he is still out there."

Jacob glanced at the shotgun placed next to him on the table. He had at least five guns and three knives placed around the cabin, just in case.

"We'll be all right. People like him…he'll wait awhile to try something else."

"He knows where we are, though!"

"I know. But I'm still not too worried. He'll wait until he thinks we're not expecting him. But he'll try again. He's made it clear that he wants you d—"

Jacob stopped, biting his lip. He had about said "he wants you dead," but based on the look from Renesmee's wide eyes, he stopped himself.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Renesmee swallowed, her eyes darting downward as she worked. "You know, I'm…this is hard…but I'm really glad you're going to be okay."

He felt satisfaction sizzle through his veins as he watched a slow blush rise up in her cheeks.

She bit her pink lip and frowned to herself as she secured the last of the gauze on his arm. "There."

He looked down at his bandage, suddenly not feeling much of the pain at all. He was so close to Renesmee that he could feel her breath on his bare skin as he sat at the table, shirtless. Scanning her face quickly, he coughed uncomfortably and nodded.

"Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I didn't um…agree," he finally said.

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it before she said anything. Jacob felt the mood in the room shift from snarky to awkward to suddenly hot, as they sat knee to knee, staring at each other. He caught himself glancing at the skin on her neck again, unable to stop himself from licking his lips.

She watched him closely, reaching over to fiddle with the gauze, making sure it was secure.

He glanced down at her hands as she worked, glancing at the 'V' of the flannel shirt.

Renesmee followed his gaze, pursing her lips slightly. "I know, this looks stupid. Call me crazy, but I don't want to go out in the snow again to get my bag. I've seen enough snow these past few days to last me a lifetime."

Jacob swallowed. Did he go for it? Was this a do or die moment? It felt like it.

"No, I was just thinking that it…you're the only person who could make flannel look sexy."

"Sexy?" she asked, pulling her hands away.

He nodded.

Renesmee gave him a confused look, followed by a hard one as her body went noticeably rigid.

His hand reached out on its own accord, resting on her thigh. "Don't be like this, okay?"

She looked away, her body still unyielding. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Like this. So weird and…and making me feel like shit. I said I was sorry. I even kissed you again."

Renesmee looked up, her gaze sharp. "That was a pity kiss. That was to get me to stay."

"No, it really wasn't," he argued, scooting forward on his chair. "It wasn't like that at all."

"Really? Then what was it like?" she bantered back, looking down at her lap. Her words were sharp, but her face was pained; it made his insides twist to see her looking this hurt.

"I'm on duty while I'm up here. I'm being paid to be up here. What would it look like if I took advantage of you?"

"Take…you…that's not what that was. I thought it was something…something mutual, something I…I should have never…" she said, her words jumbled. With shaky hands, she reached up and brushed her hair away from her flushed face. "I can't do this."

"Do what?" he prodded. "You didn't do anything wrong. Don't you see? It's principle that's keeping me away, Ness. Nothing more."

"What do you mean?" she asked, letting her hands fall to her lap.

She gave him a wide eyed gaze that nearly made him crazy. He felt his hands twitch as he watched the sadness cross her features.

It was now or never.

"I…I didn't want to stop…the other night. I didn't want to stop at all. And…I'm not ashamed to say it. You drive me so crazy sometimes, I…I want to just…"

"What?" she breathed, glancing down at his lips.

"Kiss you," he said quickly.

Renesmee's eyes widened slightly. "You want to ki—"

She was cut off as Jacob leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She sat up straight in surprise, Jacob reaching up to cup her cheeks and hold her to him. It was short and passionate and made them break apart roughly, both of them panting as they stared at one another.

"What was that?" she asked, reaching up to touch her mouth.

"I just…I needed to do that. To let you know how I feel," he explained, fighting his jagged breaths. The feeling of her mouth on his again had given him a high like a drug addict. He needed more.

God damn, he thought as she glanced at her mouth again.

"And how do you feel?" she prodded, her chest rising and falling with her own lost breath.

"I'm sorry. I want you. I…I need you," he stuttered. He felt stupid saying it, but it was the truth.

They were a flurry of hands and arms as they collided together again. She kissed him desperately, nipping at his bottom lip with her teeth. Her hands were on either side of his face, in his hair, his neck… He growled in satisfaction as she pushed her tongue past his lips to taste him. He returned the favor, letting their aggressive kisses and battling yet flirtatious tongues do the talking they obviously could not. Gone was the unsure girl with the wounded pride from hours before; in her place and kissing him was a hungry, ravenous woman.

They broke apart, Jacob holding his wounded arm out of the way of her traveling hands. He kissed down her neck, her small moans only fueling him further.

"Jacob…." she choked, weaving her hands into his hair. Her fingers pulled at it as he sucked on the sweet skin beneath her ear. Another high pitched noise slipped out as she fought to form words. "I don't know if I would have ever forgiven myself if you had gotten hurt."

He laughed against her skin, pulling away to hold up his arm. "Are you blind?"

"Okay, killed."

"That's more like it," he replied, eagerly crashing his mouth against hers again. He couldn't get enough of her; she smelled like sugar mixed with fresh snow as he ran his hands down the sides of her body. His arm was killing him, but he couldn't bear the thought of stopping now. For the first time ever, he felt such a connection with this woman that he couldn't explain; all he could hear was her short, heavy breaths, smell her sweet scent, and all he wanted to feel under his hands was her soft, pale skin.

Nothing mattered any longer. Not that he was a cop, that James was out there, or that he was breaking code by doing this with her, nor any of the other million little reasons why they shouldn't be doing this. An ember had ignited within him when he had first met her, and now that they were together like this, it had turned into a roaring fire that couldn't be tamed.

He heard Renesmee moan again as his hands roamed over the flannel shirt she wore. His own body was screaming at him for more, but he had to be certain. They broke apart, breathless, both their faces pink and their breathing heavy.

"Yes, I want this," she panted, reading his mind.

He grinned, jumping up carefully. With his good hand, he pulled her over to the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Here?"

He nodded.

"Oh," she cheeked. "I feel like I'm in a romance novel."

He stopped, gripping her hand in his good one. "You said the sex with your old guy was just okay."

"I said it was decent," she reminded him.

He grinned, biting his lip.

"Why?"

"Just wanted to have it on record," he replied, sitting down on the rug.

She followed, sitting down beside him in front of the fire.

"Now…where did we leave off?"

"I think I was the puddle of goo, and you were the cocky bastard," she quipped.

He nodded, agreeing. "That sounds about right."

She leaned forward, resuming where they had stopped at the kitchen table. While being careful of his injured arm, he could hardly contain his excitement – bullet wound be dammed. He had Renesmee Cullen all to himself. Now it was his turn to moan as he felt her chest press against the side of his body, her hands roaming down his stomach. Her fingers worshipped every dip and curve of his stomach, making him grateful for doing all those extra sit ups. Her palms were hot against his skin as she took him all in. Figuring it was all right to explore, he moved his hand up to softly cup her breast.

No bra. Knew it, he thought with glee. Renesmee whimpered as he teased her through the flannel. Then again, I never thought flannel could be sexy. I guess this girl is full of surprises…

Renesmee kissed him with vigorous enthusiasm, making every doubtful thought float out of his mind. She wanted this as much as he did; that much was clear.

Renesmee smiled against his lips, rubbing her leg suggestively up and down his. He grinned, flashing his white teeth, before letting his mouth connect once again with hers. She squeaked in surprise as he pulled her leg with his good arm, effectively landing her on his lap. He knew she could feel his hardening arousal as it strained against his jeans.

Leaning down, she captured his mouth with hers and kissed him deeply. His hands roamed to her backside, grabbing her tightly there. She groaned appreciatively, grabbing his arm and pulling herself against his body.

Jacob hissed in surprise, wincing. "Gah, woman!"

"Sorry!" she yelped, her eyes widening. "Did I hurt you?"

"Yes…ah…" he gasped, holding his arm and wincing. "You gonna break me before you even try me out?"

His wince turned into a cocky smile, and she playfully smacked his good arm.

"Jacob Black, you're incorrigible," she laughed. She swiveled her hips in a half circle against his crotch, making them both groan.

"I don't know what that means, but I hope it means that I'm a hot, sexy beast," he practically growled as he pulled her in closer. He was addicted to her mouth and felt like he could never be away from her. In the back of his mind, he was already beginning to worry about what would happen in the morning when this was all over. He knew he shouldn't be mixing business with pleasure.

But damn the consequences. I want her, he thought. He would deal with tomorrow later.


	13. Chapter 13

Jacob was fighting a losing battle with himself. One part of him wanted to remain professional and focused, yet the other side….

I can't deny the way I feel about her. I'll deal with the repercussions later. Talk about zero willpower. This woman makes me crazy, but I love it. As much as he wanted to rip his hair out at times when they argued, he had to admit that one look from her big brown eyes, and he was putty in her hands.

She made him weak.

He paused, looking up at her as she straddled him.

Renesmee looked back through hooded eyes, her coppery waves framing her face. "Do you want me?"

He snorted softly, rubbing his hands on her jean-clad thighs. "I should ask the same question," he replied cockily.

She gave him a brief hurt look, and he instantly relented. There goes that resolve thing again. Damn.

Reaching down, she placed her hand on top of his, her soft hands urging him to move his hands against the denim. The calluses of his palms caught on the material, and in that moment, he couldn't help but wonder how soft her skin would be. Women always felt different – soft in just about any place you could think of to touch them.

He didn't doubt that Renesmee would feel any different.

Her eyes narrowed as she shifted herself closer, her center coming into contact with his groin. "I'll ask again….do you want me?"

He was silent for a second, letting his eyes take her in. That woman – that hot, sometimes crazy woman who drove him wild – was perched in his lap, and they were miles away from civilization.

"I…think I want you more than I've wanted anything."

She smiled, leaning forward. "How do you do that to me?"

"Do what?"

"Make me so crazy."

My thoughts exactly, his mind echoed.

Her lips collided with his in a hungry kiss, Jacob chanting to himself mentally that he shouldn't do this. It was wrong; he felt like he was taking advantage of her. But was it wrong when she seemed to want it so badly? He moved his lips down her neck, wanting to taste every single inch of her. The skin on her neck tasted sweet and the smell where her neck met her shoulder was making his mouth water. I bet she dabbed some perfume there…shit that smells good. What is it about women's perfume that makes me want to lick every inch of them?

Jacob growled to himself with satisfaction as he felt her shudder slightly. Reaching up, he pulled the too-large flannel shirt down over her shoulder, the buttons falling easily out of the first few loops. Renesmee gripped his arm and moved her head to the side to allow him better access. He pushed his nose forward, running it along her hairline to smell the fruity scent of her shampoo. That smelled amazing, too. He kissed her soft skin and reveled in the way she shuddered in his lap when he did something she liked.

Renesmee move against him, grinding her center against the tightened area of his jeans. He felt himself straining against the rough material, wondering what to do next. Women usually slammed on the brakes when the clothing started to come off. The last thing he wanted to do right now was to stop.

"Hold on," she panted, breaking away from his mouth. Renesmee lifted herself off his lap long enough to unbutton her jeans and kick them off.

She gave him an expectant look, her brown eyes wide. "Please tell me you're not having second thoughts?"

"What?" he asked, jumping to action. "N-No," he sputtered, fumbling to unbutton his own pants. Kicking them off, he was now in only his boxers, while she was in a pair of black underwear and an oversize flannel shirt.

Oh good Lord…this is happening, he thought to himself as she settled herself back on his lap. Avoiding his bad arm, she grabbed him tightly and pulled their bodies together as her lips moved back onto his. Jacob moaned as his hands were instantly drawn to the tops of her thighs. He had never planned on seeing this much of Renesmee Cullen; the fact that they were there, doing this, still completely boggled him.

He knew it wasn't right, but he wasn't about to stop. He needed to feel her, if only for one night. Never in his life had he wanted someone – needed someone – so much. No other girl drove him as wild as she drove him. This girl, this time, this night was something he would think of every night for the rest of his life.

He rubbed his palms against her thighs, enjoying the small gasps of pleasure coming from Renesmee as she moved her hips against his groin. Jacob groaned again and let his hands sink lower to her center, his fingertips brushing underneath her cotton underwear. Feeling courageous, he pushed the material aside and finally allowed himself to touch her.

Now it was Renesmee's turn to moan. "Oh Jake, yes," she panted, letting her head fall back slightly.

Jacob looked up at her, silently cheering himself on as he touched her feminine center and made her moan.

"We shouldn't do this," he heard himself say softly.

She glanced down at him, fighting to focus her eyes as he continued to touch her. "So why don't you stop?" she stuttered.

"I don't want to. Just giving you an out."

"You offer to…t-to stop when you….oh God," she muttered, biting her lip. "I need to shut up," she muttered, leaning forward. She kissed him hungrily, as if to beg him for more.

His fingers stroked her softly, eliciting shivers and pleasured moans from her lips between kisses.

He was completely addicted.

The sight, taste, and even smell of this girl had him completely needing more. He slipped a finger past her folds and curled it forward, gently stroking her. Renesmee's eyes widened as she leaned forward on his lap, grinding her hips against his hand. He fought to remain coherent as his name tumbled from her mouth again and again.

"Jacob….oh my-"

Reaching up, she clumsily undid the last two buttons on the flannel shirt she wore. He followed her lead, yanking it off one shoulder so her breasts were exposed to him. He moved forward, flicking his tongue over one of her peaks. She mewled and bucked against his hand, making the strain in his pants increase tenfold. Her body tightened against him, signaling her release. Renesmee's eyes were closed tight, and her lip was firmly lodged between her teeth as he continued his movements, bringing her down from her euphoric high. When her breathing slowed and her eyes opened, he pulled his hand away and played with the elastic on her underwear. They needed to come off.

"Please," he begged, looking up at her.

She nodded, painstakingly lifting herself off his lap so they could finish undressing. Jacob lunged for his jeans, grabbing his wallet with trembling hands. He had one condom in it, and he was thanking his lucky stars he happened to have it with him tonight. This could be his only chance with her, and he didn't want to screw it up by being unprepared.

"You have one of those in your wallet?" she asked, yanking her hair out of its ponytail. She inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath.

Jacob watched as her coppery locks tumbled down over her shoulders, nearly covering her bare chest. Her cheeks were pink and flushed from their foreplay, and he found himself start to get a little nervous.

"It's ah…it's really my 'who am I kidding' condom…I…it's been in here for almost a year."

"Is that so?" she breathed, her lusty gaze meeting his. "Well…let's put it to good use, shall we?"

"Uh—"

He didn't have time to answer again, before Renesmee was back in his lap, naked this time. His hands found her hips, pulling her down onto his body. She reached down, helping him roll on what he had now deemed the world's best and most useful condom, before sinking herself onto his length.

"Oh…" she gasped, her eyes fluttering shut.

Unable to resist, he looked down at his lap as Renesmee slid down his length the entire way.

"Fuck," he growled as her silky walls encased him. Jacob made up his mind then and there: they both needed this if they were going to remain sane, and he wasn't about to deny her that. Besides, how could he? Renesmee did things to him that made him thank his lucky stars his father had a fishing cabin in the first place.

He reached down, grabbing her hips to help her find her pace on top of him. Renesmee gripped his shoulders as she set a slow, torturous rhythm on his lap. Jacob watched with reverence as her head fell forward, her eyes closed tight and her teeth gripping her bottom lip again as she moved on top of him. Copper curls rolled over her shoulder, covering her chest as she moved against his aching body. He winced as she bumped his bandaged arm again, but found it easy to ignore when she increased her friction against him.

Leaning forward, he palmed one of her breasts in his hand and flicked his thumb over her taut nipple. Renesmee moaned, her eyes opening slightly to look down at him.

"See something you like?"

"This works better if we don't talk," she laughed between soft sighs of pleasure.

"You're definitely right. We…should just focus on the moaning. And you know…making each other moan."

Renesmee bit back a laugh, increasing her pace again. "I agree."

He let his head fall back against the couch, enjoying the feeling of her riding him with such force. Never before had sex felt this raw and passionate for him.

"Does this feel as good to you as it does…oh…me?" he asked, gripping her hip with his good arm.

"You're ruining this for me," she said, trying not to laugh.

He leaned forward, taking her nipple in his mouth and running his tongue over it. He firmly pulled at the other one, smiling against her skin as he heard her cry out in enjoyment.

"Still ruining it?"

"Mmmm, no…just don't…"

He laughed to himself as he continued his work, making her body clench around his as she got closer and closer. Grabbing her ass, he used his hold to move her hips harder to increase the movements between them. Renesmee gripped the couch behind his head, her nails scraping against the worn material. He took that as a good sign that she was getting closer to her release, making him smirk with gratification. He wondered if her stupid ex-boyfriend had ever made her climax during sex before. Pushing the thought from his mind, he decided that the answer was most likely no and took that as a personal challenge.

Jacob grabbed her hips and turned their bodies so that he could lie back almost completely flat on the floor. Renesmee barely opened her eyes long enough to notice as he changed their position. Grabbing his shirt, he quickly jammed it under his head to give himself a better view of Renesmee as she moved on top of him.

Something so damn sexy about a woman on top, he thought to himself. Reaching down, he let his fingertip lightly graze the bundle of nerves between her legs.

She fell forward, gripping his abs with her pale hands as her body shook slightly.

"Don't stop!" she cried in a shrill voice.

Jacob laughed, finding it hard to find his voice as he watched her body move in the firelight. "Even…even during sex you're…you're ordering me around."

"You…oh…you take direction well," she panted, clenching her eyes shut.

He increased his efforts, determined to make her glad she had taken this step with him. He watched as her body tightened and her movements on top of him slowed and became jerky. She clenched herself around his cock so tight, it made his toes curl. He was teetering on the edge of release, but refused to let himself fall over until he knew she had gone first.

Renesmee rolled her hips against him a final time, her tightness finding just the right spot she needed. Jacob added a light amount of pressure to his efforts and watched as her body tensed and shook again. She seemed close, but he needed to know what to do make sure she came. This was not an instance where he wanted to disappoint.

He grinned to himself as she moved, still determined to please her more than she had ever been before.

"You know…I still take direction well," he pointed out hopefully between pants. Maybe if she helped him do what she liked, he could get the job done.

"Mmm…a little…harder…just like…oh…"

He listened to her directions, grateful for the help. He wasn't about to let Renesmee walk away from this without it being the best sex of their lives. She tensed again, this time her entire body going slightly rigid on top of him. She trembled for a moment, stilling her movements as her walls spasmed around him. Back and forth, she rocked with a deliberate rhythm, getting the last few ounces of pleasure from her release. Jacob felt himself grow even harder as he watched her pale body still on top of his as she tried to catch her breath.

He had made her completely breathless. Satisfaction sizzled through his veins.

"Oh my God…that was…I…I've never…"

"You know, there's…not a rule that can only happen once. I'm…I'm still willing to take direction," he panted, reaching up to touch her cheek.

Her breathing stilled as she smiled and leaned into his touch, an "I just came" smile decorating her perfect features.

"Is that so?"

He nodded, gently pushing her off his still hard member. He motioned for her to lie down, and she obeyed, looking up at him as he settled between her legs. This would be hard with his bandaged arm, but he was more than determined to make this last longer. Balancing on his good arm, he hovered above her and gave her his best smile.

"My turn," he said, before entering her again.

Renesmee bit her lip to keep from laughing, but the sparkle in her eye let him know that she was enjoying their sexy banter as much as he was. He set a slow, deep rhythm, and before long, he could feel her start to clench around him. Lifting her leg around his waist, he sunk himself deeper and hit a different angle.

Bingo, he thought, watching as her lips parted and her eyes fell closed.

Renesmee groaned quietly, her body trembling beneath his as he felt her tightening again. Leaning down, he let his lips press against hers again and again, breaking away when she finally cried out.

"Oh God—"

"I've been called worse."

"No…no t-talking," she wailed quietly, squeezing her eyes closed again.

He watched as she trembled and shook, his own orgasm quickly following. They writhed together on the floor for a few seconds, enjoying the post-orgasmic bliss that was flowing between them. He finally rolled off of her, breathlessly pulling the blanket off the back of the couch.

Renesmee lay on the floor, completely bare and panting. He could see a thin layer of sweat covering her breasts and neck as she stared at the ceiling with dazed eyes.

"I know no talking, but what about cuddling?" he asked with a smirk. His tone was joking, but he really wanted nothing more than to pull Renesmee against him and share in the blissful post-sex feeling.

"Sure," she panted, rolling onto her side.

He held up the blanket, allowing her to scoot under it and press up against his side. She grabbed one of the pillows from the couch and offered it to him, which he gladly accepted. Jacob fought the urge to say something sarcastic about the success of their little romp; instead, he watched as Renesmee rested her head on his outstretched bicep. His injured arm stung, but he found it hard to pay attention to anything besides the gorgeous woman on his other arm. He watched as she closed her eyes, her naked body scooting closer to his. Their legs tangled together as he pulled the blanket up around them, grateful for the warmth of the fireplace at their feet.

"Thank you," she muttered sleepily.

He chuckled, surprised at her gratitude. "For what?"

She smiled, her eyes still closed. "For everything."

"You're welcome," he answered softly, unable to tear his eyes away from her calm, sleepy face.

She's a stuck up, rich princess that I can't stand ninety-nine percent of the time…but I think I just fell in love with her.


	14. Chapter 14

Renesmee winced as the early morning light poured through the windows of the cabin. Opening her eyes, she blinked a few times, before realizing she was still curled up on the floor next to Jacob. She pulled the blanket back that was covering them, sitting up on her elbows. Taking a quick inventory of her body, she realized she was a little sore, but otherwise well rested and in a pretty good mood.

Gee, I wonder why? she thought to herself with a smirk. The night before with Jacob had been something straight out of a trashy romance novel, and she had loved every second of it. Sex with Jacob had been more than she could have even imagined. She had no idea that a man could be that attentive and willing to do whatever she needed. Grinning to herself, she watched her toes curl toward the dying fire as she thought of the night before. To see his tan, muscular body moving over her and making her see stars again and again had been nothing short of incredible.

Before she could go any farther, a hand snaked out and gently grabbed her arm. "Not so fast," Jacob said sleepily.

"What?" she said in mock annoyance. Glancing down at him, she settled back down against his arm and silently hoped she didn't look too much a fright. Mike had always made fun of her morning face and messy hair.

"Don't I get a good morning kiss?"

She snorted. "You want one? I have morning breath."

"So do I. We cancel each other out. Besides, you owe me for last night."

"I owe you? I think it's the other way around, actually."

He snickered. "Oh, Jacob…yes, don't stop!" he said, doing his best impression of her the night before. "I think that means you owe me."

"I figured last night was a one time thing. That today you'd go back to Officer Jacob."

He shrugged, heaving a sigh. "Well, I'm breaking all the rules now anyway. Can't I at least enjoy it?"

"I'm not going to argue with you for once," she said, propping herself up on her elbow. Leaning down, she brushed her lips against his while trying to not breathe on him.

"Renesmee," he whispered breathily between kisses, "can I tell you something?"

She grinned against his lips, kissing him again. "Of course. I don't think there are many secrets between us after last night."

"Mmm, yeah…but I have one for you."

"What's that?"

He kissed her again, waiting until she had pulled back and looked down at him expectantly. "Even if you kiss me with your mouth closed, I can still smell that rank breath of yours."

Renesmee gaped at him for a moment, before they both burst into laughter. She smacked him lightly on his good shoulder, sitting up. "Fine, fine, I get it. I'll go brush my teeth and shower. Sheesh, you may know how to please a woman, Jacob Black, but you're still an asshole."

"Proud of it," he chuckled, sitting up. He blushed, reaching across her for his boxers. He slid them on, standing up with a grunt. He winced a little, surveying his injured arm. "Looks good."

Renesmee stood, pulling the blanket up with her as she gave him a shy grin. "Sure, but you'll probably have a nasty scar."

"Nah. Besides….scars are the markings of a real man."

"Ulgh, what is it with boys and scars?"

"It's, um….manly or something. Hey, I saw you naked last night. I don't think anything on you has probably changed since then," he observed as she held the blanket securely around herself.

She was hunting through the clothes on the floor, trying to find her own. Straightening up, she looked at him and felt her skin grow hot just thinking of the night before. "I know, but…I'm a little shy."

"Why?" he asked, walking over to her.

His hands reached out, pressing against her shoulders and running them down her arms. Renesmee felt goose bumps rise up on her skin as she tried not to visibly shudder at his touch. His fiery skin against hers made her body react, no matter what the situation. He bent down, picking her black underwear up off the floor, and spun it around on the trip of his finger.

"With a body like that…let's just say if I had a body like yours, I'd want to be naked all the time."

"So eloquent," she grumbled, yanking her underwear away. "I um…need to shower. And brush my teeth, apparently."

Jacob followed her toward the hallway where the bathroom was, causing her to turn and look over her shoulder.

"Can I help you?"

He paused, opening his mouth slightly. "We could um…shower together. You know…conserve water a-and…soap."

Renesmee gaped at him for a moment, unsure of how to react. "Um…I guess," she laughed nervously. "I've never showered with a guy before."

"Me, either."

"Jake!"

"Okay okay, I meant a girl. I've never showered with a girl before."

"Well…fine, but…you have to wash me," she said with a burst of courage.

He grinned, nodding eagerly. She watched as he grabbed one of the handguns that were lying around the house, securing the safety. He followed her into the tiny bathroom, the two of them laughing at each other as Renesmee dropped her blanket and Jake stripped out of his boxers. Once in the shower, he gave her a surprised look as she actually began to wash herself.

"Oh, so we're really taking a shower then, huh?"

She giggled, nodding at him as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. "Yes, we are showering. What did you have in mind?"

Jacob laughed loudly, stepping closer to her in the tiny space. Reaching out, he placed a hand on her collarbone, gently massaging her neck and shoulder. Her eyes fell shut as his hot hand worked its magic against her wet skin.

"That offer to wash you still stand?"

Renesmee nodded, sucking in a quiet breath as Jacob took the soap and began running it up and down her arms. He started innocently enough, just washing her arms and neck, but soon, his hands began to move south. She leaned against the shower wall as his soapy hands went downward, cupping her breasts under the hot water. For once, she was glad for the close quarters of the tiny shower. All the more excuse to have Jacob's warm, solid body practically on top of hers.

"Mmm," she moaned, opening her eyes.

Jacob was standing in front of her, so close that she could feel his breath. His eyes were so dark, it made her shiver slightly; she had never seen him look so intense. He lightly ran his thumbs over her nipples, making the delicate skin harden at his touch. She arched her back and mewled, amazed at how a soft, simple touch could send her body reeling.

"Fuck…" he muttered, repeating the action. His eyes widened a little as he watched her body's reaction. "You like that, don't you baby?"

"I'm not baby, but ah!-yes," she conceded. She bit her lip and stared up at him through her eyelashes as she leaned into his firm hands.

He flicked her nipples again, cupping her breasts firmly before dipping down to assault her mouth with his. She could feel his morning eagerness against her thigh as he moaned against her lips. Renesmee could feel her heart start to beat faster and faster as she enjoyed Jacob's caresses under the steam. The water dripped down their bodies, coating them in warmth as she let Jacob touch and explore her body all over again. What she thought was a fluke of orgasmic bliss the night before was quickly turning out to be no such thing.

Jacob's hands had a way with her body.

She arched her back against the tiles, feeling nothing but bliss as he continued to seductively massage her. One hand continued at her breasts, while the other slipped down farther. Her eyes fell shut again as he nudged her legs apart with his knee. Renesmee jutted her hips forward, silently pleading for him to touch her. His hand that had remained on her chest slid to the left, just above her heart.

"Your heart is pounding. Are you looking forward to something?" he teased. His voice was soft and gravelly and made her stomach twist with anticipation.

"Maybe," she managed to mumble.

"I don't disappoint."

Jacob's hand slid down even more, lightly grazing between her legs. Renesmee moaned and shook, her body doing the begging for him. Heat blazed through her veins as Jacob let one finger glide down and circle her clit lightly.

"Oh God, no you don't disappoint," she hissed, clutching at the tiles. Her hands slid slightly as she pushed her hips further forward, searching. Jacob obliged, his fingertip finding a firm yet erotic rhythm that made her legs shake.

"Is this okay?"

"Heh," she breathed, unable to form a word.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He increased his pressure, making her hips jerk slightly against his hand. Leaning forward, he propped his free hand against the shower wall behind her. Renesmee opened her eyes long enough to take in the sight of him in all his wet, naked glory. She allowed herself a peek downwards, biting her lip as she saw how hard and ready he was. For a moment, she was jealous of the droplets of hot water as they rolled off of him and onto the tile floor.

Jacob kissed her firmly, dragging his lips over to her ear. "I love touching you. It feels wrong and right, all at the same time," he murmured.

Renesmee gripped the soap dish next to her hand and cried out as her hips bucked again. He chuckled, slipping a finger inside of her as she fought to keep her breath. Never before had not falling over been such a priority.

"Oh God," she moaned, gripping the slick tiles.

Jacob sighed against her ear, adding his thumb to the mix as he pleasured her.

"I'm…I'm…"

"Please do," he urged in her ear, his other hand sliding down.

He pinched her nipple, making her cry out again. Her release came quickly, making her arch her back and grind against his hand. He panted as she moved against him, riding out the rest of her orgasm under the hot water.

Renesmee opened her eyes, brushing her wet hair away from her face. Slowly, Jacob slid his fingers out of her and stood before her, just gazing at her with satisfaction. She shuddered against the hot tile wall, sucking in a deep breath before rinsing her face to help her think straight.

Holy hell, she thought. "You've done that a few times?"

He shrugged, his cheeks turning slightly darker. "I've read a Cosmo in my day. Sisters, remember?"

"Right." She nodded, taking another deep breath.

He chuckled, ducking under the water to finish washing himself as she backed up against the opposite wall to give him room. The tiny shower was spinning, and she had never felt so dizzy – but she liked it. Her body was singing with relief and joy at the same time as she inhaled the steam. Opening her eyes, she watched as Jacob quickly washed his hair, ducking under the water. The droplets slid down his tan back, rolling over his firm backside as she found herself staring.

Damn, she thought.

"I knew you liked it," he said, turning around.

She grinned through the steam as he winked at her, placing the soap back in the dish. He closed his eyes and ducked. Suddenly, Renesmee had an idea. She grabbed the soap and stood up straight, rubbing it in her hands.

"Jake," she said softly, making him turn around.

He gasped in pleasant surprise as she wrapped a soapy hand around his manhood. "Oh damn," he breathed, his hand grasping her hip.

She smiled as she slid her hand up and down his shaft, squeezing lightly as she reached the tip. Her hand moved fluently down and around his thickness as if she had been doing it for years. Everything about Jacob just came to her so naturally; she wasn't sure if she should worry about that or not.

Jacob turned around to face her, his eyes dark and pleading. "Don't stop," he groaned.

She nodded, continuing to stroke him. His eyes closed as a shudder rolled down his body. He fell forward, bracing himself on the shower wall behind her with his good arm as she pumped his manhood. Jacob groaned and grinded his hips against her hand as he fisted the wall behind her head. Looking down, she watched in fascination as her soapy hand slid up and down his thick member.

No wonder last night went so famously. He's packing quite the prize, she thought, licking her lips. She moved closer to him, placing light kisses on his chest as his body began to tense. Renesmee paused, watching as his ab muscles contracted rapidly with his deep breaths.

"Oh my God," he hummed, opening his eyes.

His hand fell down between them, grabbing her hand that was around his stiffness. He encased his hand with hers, squeezing harder and giving her movements more friction. Renesmee watched his face contort into bliss as a few short movements sent him tumbling over the edge. He came against her stomach, pulsing under the hot water.

"What was that?" he asked finally, opening his eyes. He shook his head as if to make sense of it all as she smiled up at him.

"I wanted to wash you. You missed a spot."

Renesmee stood at the counter, rubbing a towel through her wet hair as she tried to get most of the moisture out of it. She was dressed in the same flannel shirt, and Jacob was in a fresh set of boxer briefs after they finished up with their shower.

"I don't think I've ever taken such a long shower", she laughed.

"Me either. No complaints though", he said as he continued shaving the rest of his stubble, watching her in the small mirror.

"Leave a little. It's rugged," she requested softly.

He nodded, flashing her an "I know it is" grin.

"Cocky bastard. Does you arm hurt?" she asked, glancing at the stitches she had given him the night before.

"Nah. I'll take some more Tylenol. Should heal up in a few days."

She nodded, walking into the hall. Glancing out the window, she smiled as the sun began to peek through the late morning clouds. They had gotten a lot more snow the night before, and yet, she realized there were fresh footprints outside the window.

"Jake?" she called.

"Yeah?"

"Were you…have you been out behind the house?"

"Not since yesterday morning. Why?"

Renesmee felt her blood run cold. Jacob finished dressing, walking up behind her when he didn't get an answer. He peered over her shoulder, spying the prints in the snow just under the windowsill. Jacob sucked in a breath, before racing to the kitchen. He picked up a handgun, checking it for bullets.

"Stay here," he commanded roughly, opening the back door.

She watched through the window as he walked outside, his gun poised in front of him, ready. She caught glimpses of him through the windows as he circled the house, his eyes scanning their snowy surroundings. When he came back inside, he looked somewhat relieved.

"Did you see anything else?"

"No. The prints…aren't mine. He definitely knows we're here. We've got to make a plan – now."

"What are we going to do? Jacob, he was there…he was watching us!" she exclaimed in horror.

She watched the tips of Jacob's ears burn red, showing his irritation.

"I know. That's why we're going to end this tonight. I should have known hiding wouldn't deter a sicko like that…"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's not right in the head, Renesmee. He didn't just kill Jessica; he wiped the floor with her. He obviously gets off on that sick crap. Most people feel remorse after they kill people; they run away, leave the body there because it's usually an accident or temper tantrum gone too far. But James…James has shown that he's unbalanced enough to actually enjoy the kill."

"That's barbaric…" she muttered nervously, biting her lip. She had known James was a sick freak for doing what he had to Jessica; however, hearing Jacob confirm it again made her feel nauseous.

"We end this tonight. No more waiting."

"Wait, what?" she asked, following him into the kitchen.

He pulled open a drawer, pulling another small gun out. He opened a piece on the side, checking it for bullets.

"This one is yours," he said, sliding it across the counter.

Renesmee squeaked and jumped back, her eyes wide. She had never even touched a real gun before, and he was expecting her to actually use one?

"You're joking," she said. "There's no way I can actually use that thing."

"You might have to," he said, giving her a sympathetic shrug. "Listen, guns aren't anything to be afraid of. Stupid people are what you need to be afraid of. You just have to know how to safely use a gun. Have you ever shot one before?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. Why would I shoot a gun?"

"Just thought I'd ask. You're full of surprises," he muttered, moving around the kitchen counter. Picking up the small gun from the counter, he held it out to her. "Take it."

"I'd rather not," she replied primly.

"Ness, please, just… Look, the safety is on. You're not going to hurt a thing without flipping this little piece up, see?"

Renesmee leaned over, watching as he showed her how to move the safety latch out of the way.

"Please at least learn the basics. If I get hurt and can't do anything, you might have to take charge. You'll thank me later, yeah?"

Renesmee thought back to how helpless she had felt when she found out James knew where she lived. How stupid she was to think that a simple deadbolt or a pane of glass would keep her safe! She knew that nothing would stop him from hurting her the first chance he got. What if he somehow got past Jacob? Would she simply give up?

"All right. I'll at least try," she agreed, taking it from his hands. She looked down at the dark metal against her pale skin and felt a shiver rush through her body. It was a terrifying, yet powerful adrenaline rush.

He grinned at her, nodding in a cocky manner. "That's right. You can do this; just don't be a priss."

"I am not a priss!" she argued back, throwing up her hands, gun and all.

Jacob ducked, his eyes wide. "Whoa, careful with that thing!"

"Oh! Sorry," she said, biting her lip.

Jacob just shook his head at her, muttering under his breath.

They spent the rest of the morning in the living room, Jacob giving her shooting tips and safety pointers. They didn't want to tip James off, so they stayed inside and worked without actually firing.

"Think you can do it?" he asked, taking the gun back.

Renesmee nodded, swallowing any lingering fears. "I have to, Jacob. I mean…I can't run forever. As…amazing as it's been getting to know you, and…and last night…I know I can't hide here forever. I can't depend on you to always rush in and save the day. We've got to make a plan to end this."

He nodded in surprise, licking his lips as he bobbed his head in thought. "I'm with you. I say we end this by any means possible. You're on board?"

"Definitely."

"All right. I've got to get up on the roof to get a signal," he said, whipping a phone out of his pocket. He powered it on, looking at her with a defeated shrug. "James already knows we're here, so it's all right, I guess. I wanted to avoid using a cell phone, just in case, but…we're going to need to call for backup."

With that, Jacob bundled himself up in warm clothes and took the cell phone up onto the roof. She heard him above her, talking to someone, and soon, he came back down.

"It's set. Now we just have to lure him out at exactly the right time. Feeling brave, Princess?"

Renesmee sat in the SUV as it warmed up, her shaky hands gripping the steering wheel. As soon as the sun had set, she and Jacob had put their plan into motion. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she put the car into drive and left the driveway just as they had planned. Slowly, she made her way down the dark winding drive, where she had gotten stuck the day before.

Please, she silently begged. Let Jacob get out of this okay.

She thought back to that afternoon after her gun lesson, when she had pulled Jacob aside.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

Renesmee looked up at him, trying not to show her fear. "Honestly? Yes. But this has to work. I don't want to run forever."

"I know you don't," he said, walking around the kitchen counter. He stopped in front of where she stood, leaning against the cabinets. Placing his hands on either side of her, the wood creaked against his weight. "I just want you to know that…I would do anything to keep you safe."

A shiver ran down her spine at his determined words, the hair on her arms standing up as he spoke. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do. You might be a prissy princess who makes me crazy, but…I kinda like crazy."

"Crazy, huh?"

"Yeah. You drive me wild, Renesmee. I'm actually glad I was assigned to protect you."

"I'm glad you were, too," she said softly, watching as he inched closer.

"When this is over…" He trailed off, clearly at a loss for words.

"Yes," she replied resolutely.

Jacob smirked, his eyes watching her face closely. "Yes what?"

She grinned, batting her eyelashes up at him. "Yes, I want to see you again," she replied, rising up on her tip toes.

She forced her lips against his firmly, sealing her words. He kissed her back after the shock of her words had worn off, wrapping his hands around her waist. Renesmee arched her back, pressing her body flush against his as she wrapped her arms behind his neck.

They broke apart, both of them breathless.

"Promise me we'll come out of this unscathed."

"Trust me, Princess…I'll personally see to it that there is as little 'scathing' as possible," he replied with a coy grin.

Renesmee slapped his shoulder, making a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat. "Promise me that we'll be okay," she repeated.

"We'll be okay. I promise."

She cleared her throat, gripping the steering wheel as she maneuvered down the driveway. Their steamy kitchen kiss had sealed their feelings for each other aloud. Renesmee had worried that their connection had just been a twenty-four hour ordeal; however, Jacob had confirmed in the kitchen that he thought about what would happen when they returned home, as well. She was willing to continue it if he was.

Of course, they argued and bickered non-stop, but Jacob actually made her feel something. With her ex, Mike, her emotions had hit their spike and simply reached a plateau. He was kind and sweet and a little annoying, but she had just figured that was how men were. When she met Jacob, though…all of what she thought she had known had flown out the door. Jacob was brash and honest and wasn't afraid to hurt her feelings. On the opposite end, he was also very affectionate and desirable when he wanted to be. He made her come alive and feel emotions she didn't even know she was capable of. He drove her wild in every sense of the word, and she was not going to give that up.

"Screw you, James. We end this tonight," she muttered determinedly under her breath. Glancing at the seat beside her, she spied the gun that Jacob had shown her how to use. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, but if it came down to her life, she knew could.

With a determined grip on the steering wheel, she took a deep breath and did her part of the plan. The SUV turned to the side, sliding as she slammed on the brakes. The tires spun in the snow, signaling that she had once again managed to get it stuck. This time, however, it was on purpose.

"Okay, Renesmee. Now it's all up to you," she said under her breath.

Reaching over, she slipped the gun into her pocket with a small shudder. Even if Jacob had taught her how to properly use it, she still didn't like the idea of actually having it. She waited for a few minutes, shivering as the chilly night air whipped through the broken back window. James had shattered it the first time trying to maim her, and they had no means of really fixing it. Her teeth chattered slightly as she opened the door and stepped out into the snow. The headlights of the car shone brightly against the forest as she made her way out into the middle of the desolate road. Pulling out her cell phone for the first time in days, she pretended to dial a number.

I have to look like bait, she thought with a nervous shudder. The wind blew her hair around her face, chilling her already cold body to the bone. She stood there in the headlights of the car, waiting with a feeling of dread. Playing bait was nerve wracking, even if she did have a gun in her coat pocket. James had made it clear that he was completely deranged and had nothing to lose, which terrified her.

Suddenly, there was a crunch in the snow behind her. Renesmee whipped around, knowing what she would see.

"Well, well, well..." James called, moving toward her slowly. "Come back for seconds, have you?"

"Stop right there!" she commanded, her voice wavering. "Leave me alone!"

"I can't do that, and we both know it," he sneered. "I can't have you running back to tell Charlie what you've seen. Besides…I really hate that fucking cop you're with. Nothing would please me more than to paint the walls of his apartment…with your blood."


	15. Chapter 15

Jacob crouched in the snow, watching closely. Renesmee had executed the plan perfectly, getting the car stuck at the perfect place. He knew James would take the bait - the psycho was looking for any excuse to off them both. The side of the road sloped upwards, allowing him a bird's eye view of James as he stalked up behind her. Jacob knew that Renesmee was aware of him; in the glow of the headlights, he could see her fidget and press her lips together like she did when she was nervous.

"That's right…" he murmured to himself.

Renesmee turned around, her eyes going wide as she focused on James. He spoke to her quietly, the tones of his nasty voice echoing slightly against their snowy setting.

"No," Renesmee said firmly. "You leave me alone!"

"I don't think that's an option now, do you?" he replied, stepping closer.

Jacob's skin crawled as James stalked towards Renesmee. There was something about his sickening voice that made him want to strangle him - especially when he was talking to her. When he had seen the footprints in the snow outside the window, he knew they had to do something and fast. His stomach turned a he realized James probably saw them last night on the floor in front of the fireplace….sick, he thought. Jacob felt himself tense as he watched Renesmee reach into her pocket. She pulled out the small gun, pointing it right at James.

"You aren't actually gonna use that now, are you?" he sneered.

"Don't try me," Jacob heard her say.

He narrowed his eyes, his finger itching against the trigger of his gun. He was ready; it was now or never. James leered at her for a second, before making a sudden lunge at her. A shot rang out, but it wasn't from Renesmee's gun.

Jacob cursed himself as he realized he had missed his target The bullet went into the side of the SUV, instead of James. Renesmee screamed as James swung at her, barely missing. She fired her gun, shrieking again as it kicked back and fell to the ground. He heard James yell out in pain. Jacob jumped up, running to the edge of the hill. He slid down the incline as fast as he could, landing on the road with a thump.

James turned around, his eyes wild. With a violent hiss, he took off running.

"Are you all right?" Jacob asked quickly, kneeling down.

Renesmee nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "Jacob—"

"I'll be right back! Stay here and wait for backup!" he said firmly, picking up her gun. He shoved it into her hands, before taking off after James.

"Jake, no!" he heard her call, but he was determined. He wanted to get that fucker more than anything, and he wasn't stopping now.

The cold air was sharp against his lungs as he ran as fast as he could through the snow. He couldn't see much in the darkness; the only light was that of the moon as it shined through the bare trees. His breaths were hard and labored as he tore through the wilderness in the direction of James.

Seconds became minutes, and soon, the minutes had become many. He was no closer to finding James than he was before! With a sigh of defeat, he made his way back up the hill toward Renesmee and the car.

A sudden scream made him take off in a run. Jacob raced through the snow, his muscles burning as they protested. Making his way through the woods, he circled back to the hill overlooking the road where he had hidden before. Skidding to a halt, he peered over the edge of the drop-off to see flashing red and blue colors and spotlights. He sighed in relief as he realized his plan had worked; backup had come.

James was standing in the middle of the road, still in the headlights of the SUV. The spotlights of the three police cars were on him, officers crouched behind their doors with guns up. Hearing Jacob's arrival, James turned around and looked up at him with a scornful gaze. With complete horror, Jacob realized he wasn't alone.

He had Renesmee.

"Let her go!" one of the cops called. "Police orders! Release the girl and put your hands up!"

But James ignored them.

"Do as they say!" Jacob called in an authoritative voice.

"Just in time," he sneered, pulling Renesmee around with him. He was holding her by her neck, the gun Jacob had given her pressed to her temple.

Renesmee met his eyes over the distance, her wild gaze pleading.

"We wanted to wait for you to show up. Wouldn't do me any good to kill her if you weren't here to watch."

"Let her go, or I'll shoot!" he called, pulling out his own gun. He took a step forward, steadying his grip.

James tightened his grip on Renesmee's throat, giving him a menacing nod. "Come any closer, and I'll end her."

"Jacob! No!" she called desperately. "Don't do it!"

"Let her go!"

An eerie silence settled over the scene as Jacob and James stared at one another. Jacob's hand shook on the trigger; he knew he had to act soon before James did something psychotic. He didn't know what a person that crazy was capable of. He needed to do something, and fast. James swayed slightly, Renesmee whimpering as the gun pressed against her head. Jacob swallowed, steadying his aim as he debated what to do. Renesmee was too close to him to risk taking the shot himself. He was a good shot, but not that good.

"You're all mine. Now boyfriend gets to watch you die," he said, pressing his mouth up against her ear.

Renesmee shivered visibly, closing her eyes with another quiet cry. James laughed viciously, looking back at Jacob.

I have to do something! his mind screamed.

Then, when he was most desperate for something – anything – to happen, Renesmee did the impossible. He watched as she took a deep breath and let her free hand reach into her pocket. Pulling out a small object, she used it to jab James square in the groin. He loosened his grip on her long enough to wince in misery and let her fall to the ground. Jacob watched with wide eyes as Renesmee flattened herself on the snow. A shot rang out in the darkness, and seconds later, James fell backwards into the snow.

Jacob exhaled shakily, unable to believe what had just happened. Renesmee had just stabbed James hard enough with something for someone to shoot him. He flew forward, careening down the hill and onto the snowy lane below. Renesmee looked up from her position face down in the snow, her tear streaked face panic stricken. She glanced behind herself, whimpering as she realized James was dead. The headlights were bright on the man's body, which was surrounded by red-streaked snow.

He looked over at the line of police vehicles in front of them, his jaw open. In the dim light, he watched as Charlie Swan lowered his rifle.

"Oh my God," he muttered, falling onto his knees. He pulled Renesmee up off the ground and against his chest.

"He…He's d-dead," she finally managed to stutter.

Jacob nodded, hugging her tightly against his body. "Yeah…he's dead."

Jacob barely noticed as people started to swarm around them. All he cared about was that Renesmee was safe and in his arms. Charlie rushed over to them, kneeling next to them.

"You kids all right?"

Nodding, Jacob tried to talk through the dry feeling in his throat. "Yeah, Chief. I think we're gonna be all right."

Renesmee turned, throwing her arms around her grandfather's neck. "Grandpa! Th-Thank you," she cried, hugging Charlie tightly.

Charlie met Jacob's eyes over her shoulder, giving him a nod. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Ness."

They stood up slowly, Renesmee looking away from James' lifeless body in the headlights of the car.

Jacob pulled her back against his chest. "It's over," he said softly.

X0x0x0x0x0x0x

They headed back to the local police station to give statements, both of them shocked that the whole ordeal was over. Jacob and Renesmee kept exchanging relieved looks as they talked to the police, neither one really able to believe what had just happened.

Charlie sipped his coffee, furrowing his eyebrows together in a frown. "I have to ask, Ness… What did you do to him that made him let you go so I could take that shot?"

Renesmee blushed, looking away as Jacob turned to look at her. "You know, I just remembered that. What did you stab him with?" Jacob asked.

Renesmee sighed in embarrassment. Charlie opened the folder in his hands, skimming through it. "This is the folder with all the photos of the evidence….there…wait, what is it?" he asked, glancing down at the picture.

Jacob frowned, reaching out to take it from his hand. He frowned at the picture of the evidence with confusion. "You carry a small…dull knife thing in your coat pocket?"

"No, silly. It's a nail file."

"A nail file?"

"Yes," she replied, yanking it back from him. "Well…you said I was a Princess, so…maybe I am, after all."

Jacob chuckled at her, shaking his head. He exchanged looks with Charlie, who simply shrugged.

"That's my Renesmee, I guess."

One month later…..

"Would you just relax?"

Jacob looked in the mirror above the fireplace, fidgeting with his shirt collar. He gave himself another once-over, frowning at his reflection. "I feel like I should be straightening something. Is something on me crooked?"

"That's for people who wear ties, ass," she laughed, walking up behind him. "Will you stop?"

Jacob glared at her in the mirror, savoring the feeling of his banter with Renesmee. She always knew what buttons to push on him, but he secretly loved it. And her.

"Should I have worn a tie?"

"Do you even own a tie?"

"Well…I think…"

"That doesn't count," she replied, pulling his arm to get him to turn around. He obliged, looking down at her with a churning stomach. There was something about meeting a girl's parents that had always set his nerves on edge; meeting Renesmee's parents made him want to puke up everything he'd eaten in the past week. He didn't think this would go well, but he was willing to do it. For her.

"You're nervous," she laughed matter of factly, gripping his arms. She brushed her hands down the front of him, her touch giving him goose bumps.

"I am not."

"Are too. Are you…are you sweating? You never sweat."

"I do when I work out."

"Well, I like that kind of sweat. But this is a nervous sweat. I've never seen you do that….ever."

"I'm a little on edge today, yes."

"Jake…"

"It's alright. I'll be fine. Just a little….out of practice at that. Been a long time since I met a girl's parents."

Renesmee paused, looking up at him with her eyes wide. "Why would you be nervous? You're a hero, you…you saved the day. What do you have to be nervous about?"

"Well, I've had their daughter just about ever which way-"

"Jacob!" she hissed, smacking his shoulder.

He flinched, flashing her a smile. "Hey now, I was just being honest!"

"Yeah, well could you leave that part out when they come by?"

"What should I talk about? My love of brown liquor and womanizing ways?"

"Yes, please tell them that," she chided. "Seriously though, you're nervous to meet my parents?"

He answered by rolling his eyes at her.

"Jake, stop. They're just coming by to say hello. They wanted to meet you."

"How much did you tell them?"

"Enough. Charlie told them mostly."

Renesmee sighed, taking in the sight of her truly nervous boyfriend. Getting shot at and taking on a psycho killer barely fazed him. But meeting her parents for the first time? He was absolutely beside himself with nerves.

They had been home barely a month from the mountain cabin. Renesmee doubted they had spent much more than a few hours apart since then. Jacob made a habit of stopping by her apartment or work when he was on duty, and he had been crashing at her apartment every night. Not that she was complaining; she either got to see Jacob in his police uniform, half naked, or naked.

I definitely prefer the latter, she thought with a smirk.

"So…do they know yet?"

"Know what?"

Jacob paused, looking around her apartment that was full of moving boxes. Jacob's things were littered around one corner of her living room, still waiting to find their place. He had officially moved in the last of it that morning.

"I think they'll know, Jake. It's all right... We're adults. Besides, I think the fact that you took a bullet for me pretty much sums up the idea that you'd do anything for me. What more can a dad want for his daughter? And I know my mom will think you're cute," she said, wrapping her arms around his torso. She rocked from side to side, giving him her best convincing smile. Jacob didn't seem like he bought it.

The entire time they had been home, he had been dreading meeting her parents and had made no secret of that. Renesmee had met his father and sisters, and there hadn't been a problem there; Billy had been completely smitten with her, and Renesmee got along well with his sisters. She knew he feared he wouldn't impress her parents as much as she had impressed his family.

"I just…what if I'm not fancy enough for them? Or rich? I'm just a cop, and your dad…you've explained what he does like twelve times to me, and I still don't get it, but whatever. I just know he makes like a zillion dollars".

"And that matters…why?"

"To a guy, it does. No one likes to date a girl that was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Sets the bar too high".

"That's silly."

"I just…I wish I had more to offer."

"Jacob," she pleaded, squeezing him against her, "you're everything I would ever need."

"How so?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

She pulled him closer, allowing him to rest his forehead against hers. "Well…" she replied slowly, "you're sweet. And caring. And you love your family. And you're brave, and useful, and…outdoorsy. And besides…you're not afraid to call me a brat and make me think about the silly things that come out of my mouth. I need a guy like that in my life. You know…keep me on my toes."

"So, in a nutshell, I boss you around and I know how to build a fire. So what?"

"That's not what I said!" she laughed, gently slapping his arm. Her hand gently touched his arm over his shirt, her fingertip easily seeking out the raised scar. Jacob had a raised mark where she had stitched him up from his bullet wound. "I meant that…that you know me, and you're still here. You not only fought for me, but…but you taught me how to fight for myself. I owe you a lot for that. I…I love you for that."

He smirked down at her, a smile dancing on his lips. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. Jake, I've…I've never meant anything more. Why…why are you smirking at me like that? Don't make fun of me right now. I'm vulnerable."

"Sure, sure," he chuckled, nodding. He leaned down, kissing her gently.

Renesmee let his warm lips mold flush against hers, moaning slightly as they deepened the kiss. One swipe of his warm tongue against her lips, and she was putty in his hands.

"Wait, wait," she said, pushing him back. "My parents will be here any second. And…why were you smirking at me like that?"

"Because," he said, gazing down at her. "I love you, too."

Renesmee gasped, her jaw falling open. "Y-You do? I…so that wasn't something I stupidly just blurted out?"

"Of course not. I think I've loved you for a long time."

"You're serious?"

"Of course. Nessie, I think I loved you since the first moment I called you Princess."


End file.
